The Ashmolean Museum

The Ashmolean Museum is one of Oxford’s best known tourist attractions. Its collections run the gamut from fine art to decorative arts to archeology.  The museum was founded by a seventeenth century antiquarian named Elias Ashmole, who donated his “cabinet of curiosities,” including books, coins, weapons, costumes, taxidermy, and other specimens.  The Ashmolean first opened its doors in 1683 in the building known today as the Museum of Science (next to the Sheldonian Theatre).

In 1845 it opened at its new location on Beaumont, across from the Randolph Hotel.  There are about 5 stories crammed full of artistic/historic items.  Signage is excellent; blurbs are very detailed.  For exhibits containing lots of small individual pieces, there are usually notebooks nearby that list and describe each piece separately.

Last week I decided to take myself down to the Ashmolean.  It was a dreary, rainy day – a bank holiday on top of that.  I figured not many people would want to get out in the rain.  WRONG!  The museum was packed – with too many kids running around.  I dawdled and got there too late to take the lunchtime gallery tour (of Japanese ceramics), so I decided to take my own ceramics tour.

I started in the Chinese section and moved on to the Japanese ceramics (there were Korean ceramics too).  

  

Funerary Jars (Chinese).  Top comes off and you add the ashes of the deceased.  The spouts around the jar are for sticks of incense.  11th century A.D.

   

Modern Cloisonne Vase (Japan)



From the Orient, I wandered into the European china collection.  Such beautiful plates, bowls, pitchers…

 



So many dishes!!!




A gravy boat?  No!  A French lady's chamber pot!



After that I headed for the Majolica collection.



Spanish Majolica Sauce Pitcher
(sauce coming out of the mouth of a fish -- not very appetizing!)





Majolica Pine Cone Jar

I took a peek at the Delftware and then browsed the silver (not ceramics, I know, but it was right there).

 



Early English Spoons



On the way out I stopped to admire the statues in the Greek and Roman hall.

Then it was up to the 3^rd floor of Debenham’s for a cup of strong black coffee (no tea for me!) and a look out the rain-spotted window at the spires of Oxford.

 

I'll be going back, of course.  There's so much more to see!