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Unveiling the Ring Collection of Bencharong

The colourful and intricate decorations make Bencharong easily recognizable. This distinctive porcelain was made in China for the Siamese Royal Court for 200 years. The Norwegian Commander Theodor Peder Amundsen Ring (1866–1932) donated his collection of 250 pieces of this rare porcelain to the Historical Museum in 1904. He had collected it over nine years as an officer in the Siamese Navy.

Porcelain with colourful and intricate pattern.

In our exhibition "Heritage – Our place in history" you can take a close look at beautiful Bencharong porcelain.

The Bencharong collection is unique in both scope and quality. It was shown in the exhibition "Royal Porcelain from Siam" at the Historical Museum in 2013, and in the book "Royal porcelain from Siam. Unpacking the Ring Collection". From being little known outside of Thailand, Bencharong and the Ring collection became internationally known.

Bokomslag med bilde av porselen med fargerikt og intrikat mønster.
Find the book in the museum shop.

French researcher Nicolas Revire discovered Bencharong in several museums in the United States in 2023 – acquired from Theodor Ring. In this lecture, he will explain what Bencharong is, and share more of the Ring collection after delving into archives and storage facilities.

Dr. Nicolas Revire is a specialist in Buddhist art and archaeology from Southeast Asia, with a focus on Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia. He teaches at Thammasat University in Bangkok and has a research fellowship at The Art Institute of Chicago.

The museum shop has a limited number of the book "Royal porcelain from Siam. Unpacking the Ring Collection" available for purchase.

Registration and practical information

Register for the event

Please note that this event will be held in the Lecture Hall on the 3rd floor of the Historical Museum. If you need an elevator or any other accommodations during your visit, please contact us at +47 22 85 99 13.

Published May 10, 2024 9:47 AM - Last modified May 11, 2024 11:23 AM