Vagrant Investigations, Emile Guimet's Illustrated Journey to Asia

Vagrant Investigations, Emile Guimet's Illustrated Journey to Asia, visit-conference by Sylvie Ahmadian, lecturer at the National Museum of Asian Arts-Guimet.

This exhibition invites visitors to explore Asia with Emile Guimet (1838-1918), the founder of the Asian Art Museum named after him. In 1876, he made a "tour of the world" with the painter Félix Régamey (1844-1907). This long journey, which marked them for the rest of their lives, takes them to Asia (Japan, China, Southeast Asia and India), passing through America.
Fascinated by Asia and in particular by Japan, Emile Guimet conducts a scientific survey of religions to create a museum of religions for which he made many acquisitions while Félix Régamey makes many drawings and watercolors, almost ethnographic, which will be presented for the first time after their restoration.

This "illustrated trip" is also a tribute to the extraordinary personality of Emile Guimet who was, at one and the same time, industrial, traveler and collector, musician and writer, passionate about religions and founder of two museums and who - all along of his life - devoted himself to his many passions.