Asian Art Museum – San Francisco – Virtual Tour

The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, also known as the Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture, has a comprehensive Asian art collection with more than 18,000 works of art in its permanent collection.

The collection covers all major Asian countries and traditions, with a focus on South Asia, Iran and Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, China, Korea, and Japan.

Virtual Tour of the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco

Highlights of the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco

Dancing Ganesha

This “Dancing Ganesha” is a sculpture full of movement and represents a favorite theme in South Asian art. Ganesha is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon.

One of the Ganesha stories involves a battle with a powerful demon that had terrorized the gods.

One of Ganesha’s tusks was broken during the struggle, which speared the demon and transformed him into a rodent, which can be seen below Ganesha’s right foot. Accompanying Ganesha is also his entourage of musicians.

Seated Ganesha

This “Seated Ganesha” is a sculpture showing Ganesha crowned and bejeweled. He is holding objects associated with one of India’s beloved gods: a battle-ax, a lotus, a bowl of sweets, and his broken tusk.

Ganesha’s elephant head and his multiple arms is a mark of his divine nature. Elephants carry complicated symbolism in Indian culture and have long been associated with fertility and prosperity.