The Jesuits between East and West
The Art and Heritage Committee launches the first online exhibition in close cooperation with the University Library. The rapid rise of China has been rekindling fears in Europe of the ‘yellow peril’, a notion which first emerged in the late 19th century. Cultural anxieties and suspicions are likely to prevent the development of more realistic images of each other. Therefore, it’s instructive to look more closely at a relevant episode from the past: the adventures of the Jesuits in China, who in the late sixteenth century began to travel to China to spread Christianity. To some extent these missionaries managed to establish a dialogue on religion, philosophy and science with the oft well-educated upper echelons of Chinese society. The Jesuits are highlighted here as bridge builders between East and West.
This exhibition centres on the often lavishly illustrated books about China from Maastricht University’s Jesuit Collection. Driven by missionary zeal, many Jesuits embarked on a risky journey to the East – and quite a few of them did not survive the hazardous ocean journey.
Look at the exhibition here and please be aware to use Google Chrome instead of Internet Explorer: