Buddhism and Surrealism in Paris in the 1920s

October 19, 2007 2:41 AM

How do I found out about books, museums, exhibitions, and artifacts relating to Buddhism in Paris in the 1920s?

I'm writing a dissertation that involves Buddhism and Surrealism. I am trying to find archives, libraries, books, museums, etc., that have information about the influence of Buddhism and Tibet in Paris between 1900 and 1945, most importantly during the peak of Surrealism, about 1924 to 1939. Who can I contact in Paris who might be able to help me? What public institutions would have archives that would show what exhibitions happened in these years and what artifacts were in them?

posted by arcadia to Religion & Philosophy (3 answers total)

The Pompidou Centre collections cover this period - as well as artworks they have a massive library and research facility and will almost certainly have most of the information you need and staff that will help you. Some of their archives are also searchable online. Musee d'Art Moderne in Paris is another whose collection will cover this period. Musee Montparnasse - Montparnasse was a hotbed of artistic talent between the wars and is linked to surrealism as well as host to some of the hedonistic gatherings that centred arround buddhism, occultism and various other teachings that were popular back then. It's a very small museum with a small library, but there is a nice woman there called Sylvie Buisson who is the expert on Montparnasse during this period and may be able to point you further in the right direction.
posted by fire&wings at 3:03 AM on October 19, 2007

If you haven't already, I strongly suggest speaking with a reference librarian at your own library - they may be able to direct you to bibliographies, databases (such as ArchivesUSA) and other tools close at hand that will be helpful.

A search in ProQuest's Dissertations and Theses database turns up:

• Charng-Jiunn Tosi Lee: "The Symbolism and Self-Imaging of Marcel Duchamp" (diss., 1994)
• Yunn-Ling Peng: "The passage of Buddha in the work of Odilon Redon" (thesis, 1996)
• Frances F. L. Beatty: "Andre Masson and the Imagery of Surrealism" (diss., 1981)

Have a look at their bibliographies. Also, Pick up a copy of Mann's Oxford Guide to Library Research before you go any further: it's the best available guide to learning how to do this kind of research effectively.
posted by ryanshepard at 7:08 AM on October 19, 2007

Musee Guimet - The National Museum of Asian Art in Paris. Tons of Buddhist-related art.
posted by desjardins at 9:28 AM on October 19, 2007