| Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum
of Ethnography
Museum of Non-European Cultures
 |
|
Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum
of Ethnography
|
The Rautenstrauch-Joest-Museum of Ethnography in
Cologne was founded in 1901 and is the only one of its kind in
North Rhine-Westphalia. The core of the collection was assembled
by Wilhelm Joest (1857 – 1897), an ethnologist, who had
travelled extensively all over the world. His sister Adele Rautenstrauch
and her husband generously donated the present museum, specially
built for this purpose, to the city of Cologne. The inauguration
took place in 1906.
The collection now comprises about 65.000 objects and more than
100.000 historical photographs. The renowned library houses about
40.000 publications.
The museum regards its function as a guardian of
cultural legacy, educational institution, and centre for information
and discussions.
The foremost aim is to create respect for the multitude of non-European
cultures. One focus of exhibitions therefor is the comparative
approach and presentation of special topics which are relevant
for everybody throughout the
world.
The main geographical regions covered by the collection are
Oceania, Indonesia, Africa and the Near East as well as Northern
America. In addition there exist three small but important archaeological
collections from Egypt, Mesoamerica and Camboja/Thailand. They
are linked with the names of their donators and private collectors:
Ellen Doetsch-Amberger, Peter and Irene Ludwig and Hans Wilhelm
Siegel. Other important topics are the Textile Department and
the Archive of Historical Photographs.
Due to very limited exhibition space the permanent
presentation displays only objects from North American Indians
and Inuit,
sculptures and other art objects from Thailand, Camboja, India
and Tibet, a complete gamelan-orchestra from Central-Java, artefacts
from Egypt and gold and silver jewellery and other items from
Peru and Indonesia. A new museum is presently planned which will
meet our requirements.
The Collections
The collection of Oceania is renowned amongst
the German museums and comprises more than 20.000 objects. The
majority of them
come from New Guinea and the islands of the a-joining Bismark
Archipelago. Aside from numerous highly decorated objects
from daily life there are ritual objects and masks of superb
quality.
Highlights are a precious feather cloak from Hawaii, a Yams
storage barn from the Trobriand islands and a richly carved
boat from a deceased King of New Zealand. The African
collection of 13.000 objects has its focus on traditional
sculptures, masks and ritual objects, which were used by members
of secret societies specially in West- and Central-Africa during
ceremonies. Among them are many representative examples of African
art. According to collectors’ taste in the early twentieth
century weapons play also a major role.
In the Indonesian department (10.000
objects) the collection from the Southern Moluccas ranks amongst
the most important in
Europe containing wooden sculptures and ikat textiles of excellent
quality. Two other highlights are a rice barn from the Toraja
people, Sulawesi and a complete gamelan orchestra from Java.
Introductory lessons with these instruments for children and
adults may be booked under
http://sahrmann.tripod.com.
The Asian department (7.000 objects) covers religious art relating
to Hindu and Buddhist cultures in India and Mainland Southeast
Asia dating from the 8th to the 16th century. There exists also
an important collection of Ban Chiang ceramics and examples of
Thai and Khmer ceramics from the 12th to 15th century. Masks
used during healing rituals from Sri Lanka are another highlight
of this department.
Another speciality is a comprehensive collection of objects from
the Ainu, which was assembled by Wilhelm Joest during one of
his voyages in 1881.
The Near East is represented by the permanent loan of 1.500 objects
belonging the Max von Oppenheim Foundation. In addition numerous
costumes from Palestine were purchased in recent years.
Children always welcome the opportunity to visit the objects
from Northern America, amongst them the famous painted bison
cloak manufactured in 1903 by Pawnee women as well as the impressive
totem pole from the Northwest coast.
The Textile department with 3.500 items focuses mainly on textiles
from Indonesia and the Near East. Africa and Oceania are represented
as well together with a small but potent collection of archaeological
textiles from South America.
The Archive of photographs contains historical ethnographical
material mainly from Africa, Oceania, the Philippines and
Indonesia. About 20.000 were obtained around 1911 from Georg
Küppers-Loosen, a citizen from Cologne. Additional 80.000
photographs entered the museum in 1995 when the collection of
prints, dias and negatives of Fritz Helfrich, the famous traveller
around the world were donated as an inheritance.
|
)
)
)
, Höhe 7,5 m, Länge 11 m, um 1900',''))
){kind=small}
)
)