Steeped in History: The Art of Tea August 16, 2009 to November 29, 2009 Steeped in History PhotoTour Hot or iced, bagged or loose, black or green—whatever form it takes, enjoying a cup of tea is an act performed at least three billion times a day. Tea has played many profound roles on the world scene—as an ancient health remedy, an element of cultural practice, a source of spiritual insight, and even a catalyst for international conflicts—so naturally the ubiquitous beverage has been a prevalent theme in the visual arts. Steeped in History brings together magnificent art from three continents and many centuries, including rare Chinese ceramics and paintings, 18th- and 19th-century Japanese ceramics and prints, extraordinary English and Colonial American paintings, historic photographs and documents, tea-serving paraphernalia and furniture from many countries, and much more—to tell the fascinating story of tea. Steeped in History: The Art of Tea is guest curated by Beatrice Hohenegger and presented by Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Major support was provided by the Henry Luce Foundation. Mr. Lloyd Cotsen, in memory of Bob Ahmanson, generously funded the publication. Additional support is provided by Patsy and Robert Sung, The Edna and Yu-Shan Han Charitable Foundation. The accompanying programs are made possible through the Yvonne Lenart Public Programs Fund, the UCLA Asia Institute and Manus, the support group for the Fowler Museum. The official hotel sponsor is Hotel Angeleno. Media sponsorship provided by edible Los Angeles. News Release Link News Release PDF