While long-distance interactions such as trade, exploration, and conflict have shaped human societies for millennia, the 16th and early 17th centuries marked a notable period of intensified global connectivity. By the 1500s Muslim traders traveled to Southeast Asia, representatives from the Chinese Ming Dynasty sailed to Africa, and Spanish galleons traversed the Pacific and Atlantic. The works displayed in this gallery—from the elaborate Safavid Persian carpet, delicate Venetian glass, and elegant Ming and Islamic ceramics to the groundbreaking paintings of the European Renaissance—attest to the power of luxury objects and their makers to transcend social differences, aesthetic boundaries, and linguistic barriers during these centuries.

These artworks from Asia and Europe invite visitors to explore a vital period of influence and interaction—though sometimes violent or coercive—among diverse cultures. The vibrant colors, elaborate designs, and innovative artistic techniques offer insights into the persistence of human ingenuity and curiosity about the world and highlight far-ranging exchanges of ideas and material wealth.

Opulent Echoes: Artistic Journeys in the 16th and 17th Centuries is organized by the Toledo Museum of Art and curated by Ahmad Rafiei, Ph.D., Brian P. Kennedy Leadership Fellow at the Toledo Museum of Art.