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Greer Bateman

Greer Bateman

The Aestheticization and Collection of Buddhist Art in Victorian America

The Aestheticization and Collection of Buddhist Art in Victorian America
In my thesis, I explore the adoption of Buddhist objects (often looted from religious sites) by Americans for the purpose of home decoration, transforming them from sacred objects to ornaments intended to suggest cosmopolitanism. I investigate the reasons for the growth of this trend, examining the role played by influential American art collectors, such as Charles Lang Freer, and the growing influence of women on the commercial market. This exploration has strong resonances with current discussions of cultural appropriation and looting in the United States.

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