Émile Étienne Guimet
Émile Étienne Guimet ( born June 26, 1836 in Lyon, † October 12, 1918 in Fleurieu -sur -Saône ) was a Lyons industrialist and explorer, who made numerous trips to the Far East and from there many art treasures brought back. His collection area stretching from Afghanistan to Japan with a focus on China, India and Japan. He is considered one of the most important researchers in the field of Asian and Japanese studies of his time.
Life
Guimet came from a wealthy and influential French industrialist family. His father Jean -Baptiste Guimet (1795-1871) was a chemist and inventor. He was president of Henry Merle et Compagnie in Fleurieu -sur -Saône River near Lyon, a factory that manufactured synthetic ultramarine with the method developed by him and later became in the industrial group Pechiney. Also Émile holds a degree in chemistry to take over his father's business one day, but felt more the study of the arts and traveling attracted. He officially took over the management in 1860, to his father's 65th birthday, was until his death in 1871, but significantly relieved by this and supported by managers, so that he was able to undertake long expeditions.
Guimet was also gifted musically. He wrote several pieces of music and an opera, tai Tsoung which is based on the life of Tang Taizong.
Guimet had a son, Jean Guimet ( 1880-1920 ).
Travels
In a trip to Egypt in 1865, which he published in his 1867 book Croquis égyptiens. Journal d'un touriste described, he discovered archeology, civilization and religious history and began collecting art objects. He initially focused on religious studies. At the same time, he participated in scientific meetings and joined the Society for Japanese Studies by Léon de Rosny. After Philipp Franz von Siebold had prepared for his research and stays in Japan the way for Europeans, he decided to form a self -funded expedition to explore the religions of the Far East, which was to culminate in the visit important religious sites in Japan.
He reached it to get from the French Government a diplomatic passport and the Minister of Education an official research contract and traveled with a large entourage. His compatriot, the artist Félix Régamey (1844-1907), accompanied him to illustrate the experiences of the expedition; still he was accompanied by a large group of vehicles, assistants, translators and an escort of government. Guimet even decided to take a personal chef, after reading experiences with the Japanese cuisine of Cernuschis. The route followed in many parts of the trail of Henri Théodore Duret and Cernuschi. Guimet visited all important religious sites in Japan and collected numerous testimonies about the Japanese Buddhism.
In 1878 he presented a part of his collection at the Paris World Exhibition and published Promenades Japonaises. Guimet in 1900 was elected Vice President of the Franco- Japanese Society of Paris.
Museum
In 1879 he founded a museum in Lyon, which was limited to the collection of Japanese and Chinese religious art, which did not have the hoped-for success, but was still continued until 2007. 1885 bequeathed Guimet the most spectacular parts of his collection to the French state and thus opened in Paris in 1889, the Musée National des Arts Asiatiques, which is now officially Musée Guimet des Arts Asiatique is, and which today includes more than 50,000 objects from 17 countries of Asia. In the three houses further accommodated Galeries du Panthéon Bouddhique du Japon et de la Chine Buddhist drawings and sculptures can be seen, the Guimet in 1876 brought.
Mata Hari
Guimet learned in 1905 Mata Hari at one of her appearances know and invited her to dance in his museum in front of a selected audience. This performance took place on March 13, 1905 held at the Museum Guimet and is considered the beginning of her dance career. Guimet had put her proper dance clothing, a sarong and an embroidered bustier, veils and jewelry available and also advised her to take on a stage name. Whether Guimet Mata Hari legend believed an Indian Bayadere or their fraud discovered and knew the facts, is to this day in the dark.