Like many other collections in Geneva, the Museum of Far Eastern Art began with a private collection. Its creator, Alfred Baur, was a tea merchant whose business continues to prosper successfully to this day. His true passion was snuffboxes and objects of Japanese and Chinese household utensils. Throughout his life, he carefully selected them with the help of his partner and expert Tomita Kumasaku.
Viewing the exhibition will not take much time — the display is spread across two floors of a luxurious mansion. But the impressions from visiting it will stay with you for a long time. The sight of the elegant snuffboxes alone will provide unforgettable pleasure, and you do not need to be an art expert to appreciate the delicate and graceful work of Far Eastern masters.
A wide variety of materials were used in the decor: lacquer, jade, bone, mother-of-pearl, onyx, agate, and other precious and ornamental stones.
In addition to 500 unique snuffboxes, the collection featuring engravings, guards from antique swords, netsuke, and fabrics will also be of interest. In addition, the museum has an exhibition of more than 700 pieces of Chinese porcelain. All of this is not only fantastically beautiful, but also reveals a significant layer of Far Eastern culture.
