The president of the Guimet Museum—known in French as Musée national des arts asiatiques-Guimet or Musée Guimet—has a good friend in the revered Buddhist king Jayavarman VII (r. 1181–1218). “I like to see the countenance of my friend, this great Cambodian monarch, during the early hours of the morning, when I arrive at the museum before opening time,” shared Dr. Yannick Lintz, a day before the Museum Summit in Hong Kong. The Museum Summit ran from 28–29 March and was hosted by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the HKSAR government, which invited the Guimet to be the event partner. Lintz remarked, “His sculpted portrait, which is in the Bayon style, projects an air of peace and happiness. I like to draw calm and inspiration from him during times of stress or when I have an important meeting!”   

The question posed to her was perhaps a slightly unfair one—to pick some of her favorite items from the Guimet’s over 60,000-strong collection of Asian art. It truly is like choosing between friends. Whereas the iconic Louvre is known to be Paris’ pride concerning collections from west of Persia, the Guimet represents France’s finest assembly of art from east of Arabia—India, Central Asia, the Himalayas, East Asia, and Southeast Asia.

Lintz also singled out the museum’s large portfolio of Gandharan art, which dominates the first floor. Among this stunning collection is a bust of the bodhisattva Maitreya from the fifth century, a historic high point in the production of Buddhist art across ancient Gandhara—now modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan—is the source of many of the Guimet’s exquisite items. I had the pleasure of being awestruck by this collection while visiting Paris in February. “I would also like to give a special mention to a Chinese meiping vase with a white dragon, which dates to the Yuan dynasty and is a beautiful representative of Chinese art,” she said.

Lintz has had a long and storeyed career in museum management. She began working at the Louvre in 2003, and she rose to become the venerable institution’s Islamic Art Department head in 2013. She is particularly familiar with the art of the Middle East, and her immersion in Islamic art helped her to gain an appreciation of the spiritual element in art. “We do not promote a particular religion, but rather express our respect and admiration of spirituality in all kinds of art, be it Christian, Buddhist, or Islamic,” she said. In November 2022, French president Emmanuel Macron appointed her as president of the Guimet.

“The Musée Guimet functions as a bridge between East and West, but at various levels. For European and French guests, the museum serves as an entry point into understanding Asia. But for Asian visitors, it can help illuminate the European understanding of, and fascination for, Asia,” Lintz declared, indicating that learning is not just about acquiring knowledge of a certain thing. Being able to grasp a culture or society’s understanding of that phenomenon is just as important.

“I was honored that the Hong Kong government asked us to contribute to the Museum Summit. We share common questions, but perhaps we offer differing approaches. Therefore, we have a shared vision of dialogue at multiple levels. The institution of the ‘museum’ is an old one in Europe, dating back to the 17th century.” She observed, “The art of museology is perhaps newer in Asia, but it is very vibrant. Wherever you are, whether in the old centers of museums like London or Paris, or in exciting cities developing new museum experiences, we all have the same questions about the museum’s position in culture, society, and diplomatic interactions.”

“I am hopeful that the speaker lineup for this summit, as well as the delegates, representatives, and attendees, embodied a new kind of summit with innovative thinking. Of course, we have perhaps the ‘old core’ of veteran institutions from places like France or the UK, but we need the participation of other cultural voices, like from South America or Africa,” said Lintz. “I believe in a convivial and inclusive summit, or put another way, one big museum family. We should promote a dialogue between European collectors and Asian curators, with the latter giving new insights to the former about Asian art. We can also show how European art can inspire Asian artists and curators.”

The idea of global collaboration as one large family of museums sounds particularly exciting, yet Lintz’s vision extends beyond this inclusive foresight. Her next observation takes into consideration how she can communicate the Guimet’s treasures to the public. “The founder of our museum, Émile Guimet, actually envisaged the initial collection as one that showcased the religious traditions of Asia. So in a real sense, the Guimet’s original mission was devoted to Eastern religion and philosophy. It became an Asian art museum only after the Second World War, but the spiritual heritage remains.”

Based on her many years of experience managing museums, Lintz stressed that museum institutions have entire departments and teams that extend far beyond curating. For her, this signals the duty of a museum to be a civic institution, an establishment that simultaneously represents and educates the public. “At this summit, we highlight four aspects that the Guimet is now focused on: tourism, technology, sustainability, and wellness. Each consideration shapes our strategic approach moving forward into the future. The fourth category, wellness, could very much involve communication on spiritual values that are embodied in artefacts in our collection.”

Lintz recalled a 2023 exhibition that showcased traditional Asian medicine across the ages. “Its popularity was most encouraging and really drove home how Asian meditational and spiritual traditions are resonating with European museum visitors. This goes to the heart of what I see as one of my personal goals: to show how Asian art does not need to be a field for specialists, which it is often seen as. Art must speak to the public because its power is universal, and its inheritance belongs to everybody,” she reflected.

The museum and Lintz work to make real the Buddhist ideals of contemplation, insight, and compassion. “To promote the museum, the team at the Guimet should convey and explain the spiritual dimension of some of its artefacts.” This is an estimable commitment to the original vision of the founder. Lintz’s statement also takes into account contemporary needs amidst a volatile and confused world. Inspiration, comfort, and spiritual wisdom are more needed than ever. A public institution like a museum can be a conduit to providing these: “A museum is not only about the past, but also about humanity’s collective experiences through art,” Lintz noted in her concluding observations. “You live better in the present if you understand the past. The interaction of past and present is itself a living conversation, which we as a museum family actively participate in.”

See more

Portrait of King Jayavarman VII (Guimet)
Afghanistan – Pakistan (Guimet)
Bodhisattva Maitreya (Guimet)
Asian medicines, the art of balance (Orientations)

Related features from BDG

Buddhistdoor View: Buddhist Art Can Educate the Public about the Dharma
The Guimet Museum in Paris: A Legacy of Asian Art in France

Related blog posts from BDG Tea House

Curatorial Highlights of the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Galleries at the V&A, London