Eight Magazine - Living with Chinese Art

NO. 1 | C 8,95

LIVING WITH

CHINESE ART

Chinese art and the interior

VA N D E R V E N O R I E N TA L A RT

T E FA F M A A ST R I C H T 2 0 2 0 | STA N D 1 0 4

A N I N T E R N AT I O N A L Q U A L I T Y C O L L EC T I O N

7- 1 5 M A R C H | P R E V I E W S 5 & 6 M A R C H

O F C H I N E S E E X P O RT P O R C E L A I N, E A R LY P OT T E R Y A N D W O R K S O F A RT

W W W. VA N D E R V E N . C O M

W W W. T E FA F. C O M

Nynke & Floris van der Ven in front of the gallery in ’s-Hertogenbosch

4

INTRODUCTION

Every journey starts with a single step Confucius

PHOTOGRAPHY: LEON VAN DEN BROEK

This is our brand new first edition of our magazine Eight – Living With Chinese Art. We talked about publishing this for so long, so this year we decided to actually make it happen. The name Eight was chosen because it has been Floris’s lucky number from an early age. It is also the most auspicious number in Chinese culture and stands for wealth, fortune and prosperity.

Living with Chinese Art has also been a recurring theme for us over the years. In the past we have organized several exhibitions with this topic in our gallery, always with the aim of creating exciting interiors including Chinese objects. Last year, for our 50th anniversary this culminated in the creation of a permanently redesigned space - our elegant, contemporary and very comfortable living room (see cover).

With Eight magazine we aim to show the world how beautiful and accessible Chinese art can be and how well it works as part of an interior.

Inspiration was also the key word, when we were deciding what content to include within the pages. There are a monumental amount of things we can get excited about in our world, so making a selection was not easy.

Firstly we opted to show our objects in three completely different settings, classic as well as modern, which we think truly reflects the versatility of Chinese works of art. The photoshoots were great fun to do and the results amazing (Jubilee Room, Modern Living & Oud Amelisweerd). We also wanted to explore various old interiors, which were made specifically for the display of Chinese artefacts (Japanisches Palais, Peacock Room and the Red Pagoda), and the fashion for Chinoiserie in Europe (Kew Pagoda, Chinese Wall Paper), which goes to show that Chinese art has been fashionable in the West in different periods. We interviewed experts and designers on what interests and excites them (5Q Interviews). To further show the great diversity of possibilities with our objects, we invited four different talented people to style the same cabinet, this led to interesting, inspiring and fun results (Cabinet of Curiosities). Other things we love are travel (Dresden) food (dimsum) and books, which we felt should also be included.

It has been so inspiring to see other professionals, like interior designers and stylists, at work with our collection, creating beautiful, pleasant and atmospheric spaces that are easy to live in. It felt right to blend this with interesting articles on places we love. Making this first edition, has certainly given us renewed energy to keep bringing our beautiful objects alive for as many people as possible. In fact, we were so inspired that our next project – our dining room - is already being created as this magazine goes to print. We of course invite you to come and see the results for yourself!

We hope that you will enjoy reading the magazine, as much as we did making it. Be inspired by the beautiful images, interesting people and through them enter our world !

Floris & Nynke van der Ven 5

38

Content 4 INTRODUCTION 8 THIS & THAT – things of interest 10 HIDDEN GEM – Oud Amelisweerd as a setting for beautiful Blue & White porcelain 16 FROM OUR GALLERY – inspiration for your home 28 DREAMING OF CATHAY – four Chinese export wallpaper panels examined 36 DIMSUM AND SOME… – Candice Lee dives into the world of dim sum in Hong Kong 38 JUBILEE ROOM – the room designed for Vanderven Orinetal Art’s 50th anniversary 49 AROUND THE WORLD IN 25 MUSEUMS – A guide to some of the best Asian Art museums in the world 52 HISTORY INTO PLAY CHINESE ART IN THE MODERN INTERIOR - Column Helene van der Ven 59 KEW’S GREAT PAGODA – the recently restored exotic marvel in Kew gardens 75 THE RED PAGODA – C.T. Loo’s intriguing Paris Gallery 84 MODERN TOWN HOUSE – a contemporary interior as setting for Chinese works of Art 92 INSPIRATION – Early Chinese pottery & Bronze 94 EAST IS EAST, WEST IS WEST AND WELL THE TWO SHALL MEET – Column Huon Mallalieu 96 THE PEACOCK ROOM – The fabulously preserved Aesthetic Movement dining room decorated by Whistler 1876-77 105 B OOK LOVE – three recommended reads on Chinese art

84

8x

96

23 8 x Chinese Export Porcelain – just a glimpse of the diversity of objects brought to Europe from China 51 8 x Blanc de Chine – a selection of the all-white porcelain from Dehua

105 6

Q

CONTENT

FIVE QUESTIONS 24 Decorator & Flower stylist Paul Klunder 34 Leading Chinese wallpaper expert Emile de Bruijn 44 Interior Designer Reineke Antvelink 54 Ceramicist, artist and restorer Bouke de Vries 68 Julia Weber, director of the unparalleled porcelain collection in Dresden 80 Artist & collector Desiree Laurencau

23

16 10

C ABINETS OF CURIOSITIES ONE CABINET FOUR STYLES

27 Dealer & collector Floris van der Ven 47 Designer Margreet Borgman 57 Stylist & influencer Roel Marius Brouwer 83 Stylist Pieter van Loon

DRESDEN

28 36

63 Augustus the Strong – the king who suffered from maladie de porcelain 65 Porcelain, Power & Politics; the Japanese Palace, Dresden 70 48 hours in Dresden – a short guide to what to see and where to eat & stay

65

7

This & That Peabody Essex Museum NEW ASIAN EXPORT INSTALLATION NOW OPEN

The major new wing of the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem Massachusetts, opened in September. The first floor of the extension, is now dedicated to the museum’s world renowned Asian Export art collection. Many luxuries made in Asia such as porcelain, textiles, and lacquer were superior to anything the rest of the world could produce and were greatly sought after. East India Merchants from across the globe went to great lengths to export and trade these luxury commodities. Most of the roughly 200 works on display date between the late 1500s and the mid-1800s. ◆ pem.org/exhibitions/asian-export-art-gallery

A Prince’s Treasure

FROM BUCKINGHAM PALACE TO THE ROYAL PAVILION Due to the current refurbishment of Buckingham Palace, a group of 120 objects from the Royal Collection are now on loan to Brighton Pavilion. All these objects were acquired by the visionary Prince Regent (later George IV), who turned the pavilion into an exotic chinoiserie extravagance. Now the Chinese and chinoiserie objects are re-united in their previous setting, the pavilion once again looks as it did before everything was removed by Queen Victoria in 1847. A great deal of the objects and decorative elements from the Pavilion Brighton, were later repurposed by Queen Victoria when Buckingham Palace was enlarged.

The Royal Pavilion, Brighton & Hove | until Autumn 2021 ◆ brightonmuseums.org.uk/royalpavilion THE ‘KYLIN’ CLOCK 2 ND HALF 18 TH CENTURY, MOUNTS: C.1700-1822. RCIN 2867 | PHOTO OF ITEM LOANED TO THE ROYAL PAVILION FROM ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST © HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II 2019

Sunken Treasures

SECRETS OF THE MARITIME SILK ROAD A long overdue focussed exhibition, showcasing ceramics and other objects that were found on board eight shipwrecks dating from the ninth to the nineteenth century. For centuries, ships from all over the world traded along the Maritime Silk Road, in their quest for pepper, silk and porcelain. The ships that perished sometimes lay undisturbed on the seabed for centuries as time capsules. Because ceramics withstand the test of time so well, the medium provides a wealth of information about porcelain trading over sea. The exhibition is accompanied by a bilingual publication that brings the stories of the shipwrecks to life.

Keramiek Museum Princessehof, Leeuwarden | until 28 June 2020 ◆ princessehof.nl

8

THIS & THAT

Wallpaper designs

DORIAN GUO – DESIGNER DECORATOR

Born in China, the talented Dorian Guo, now lives and works in Paris.

The meeting of Chinese and French cultures inspired him to develop his own creative universe mixing historical subjects, myths, fantasy with elegance and sparkle. A self-taught draughtsman, he has now devoted himself to both painting and decorative art. Passionate about art as well as history, he is committed to sharing his inspiration with a wide audience, through his art, publications and social media. He takes his viewers on a journey of (re)discovery works of art from the past, showing how they are still an inexhaustible source of inspiration today. @dorianguo â—† dorianguo.com

EIGHT IMMORTALS This very popular and legendary group of eight Daoist figures, are very easy to recognize, as they are represented as a group of seven men and a woman, each with a distinctive emblematic object.

The Eight Immortals each represent the broad spectrum of Chinese society - young and old, rich and poor, civil and military, men and women who all achieved immortality. They are all revered for their spiritual powers and worshipped as divine saints. Here the motif is treated reminiscent of Toile de Jouy designs.

CAMELIA Evoking European lacquer arabesque decor, adorned with gilded bronze mounts, this shimmering camellia presents itself in a baroque form.

9

Museum Amelisweerd Koningslaan 3, Bunnik amelisweerd.com 10

OUD AMELISWEERD

250 year old Chinese wallpaper in a Dutch Country Retreat

Hidden Gem

PHOTOGRAPHY: LEON VAN DEN BROEK | STYLING PAUL KLUNDER

A unique Country Retreat, just under Utrecht on the banks of the Kromme Rijn river, Oud Amelisweerd is a little known jewel. What makes it particularly special are the beautifully preserved original features, such as a wonderful suite of rooms decorated with Chinese export wallpaper.

The estate Amelisweerd dates back to the year 1254, but the current house was built in about 1770 by Baron Godard Taets van Amerongen. He ordered the then highly fashionable and exotic Chinese wall coverings, to decorate the walls of the most important rooms of this summer residence.

The wallpaper, dated 1750-1770, was hand painted in Canton and imported by the Dutch East India Company. There are different scenes in each of the three Chinese rooms, one with Flowering shrubbery and birds, a hunting scene with large figures and a colourful dragon boat festival.

Pair of large deep dishes China, Qianlong period 1736 – 1796 Diameter: 46 cm ₏8.500,-

Later Amelisweerd residents included King Louis Napoleon, who bought the estate in 1808 and the Bosch van Drakesteyn family who sold it to Utrecht city council in 1951. It was privately lived in until 1989, and after having fallen into disrepair for some years has recently been restored and the wallpaper preserved.

11

Dining delight: an alluring tablescape in blue & white

LARGE BOWLS KANGXI | €15.000,- | CANDLESTICKS QIANLONG | €12.500,- | BOWLS KANGXI €4.500,- TUREEN QIANLONG | €4.500,- | SMALL VASE KANGXI | €1.250,- | 11 PLATES KANGXI | €3.500,- | 9 PLATES QIANLONG | €1.200,- | 4 CUPS & SAUCERS | KANGXI €3.900,-

12

OUD AMELISWEERD

SAUCE BOATS QIANLONG PERIOD | €950,- | TUREEN QIANLONG | €3.500,- | MUSTARD JAR KANGXI | €3.750,- | EWER KANGXI | €5.500,- | SANDER KANGXI €3.900,-

WWW.VANDERVEN.COM

13

14

OUD AMELISWEERD

I find it harder and harder every day to live up to my blue china Oscar Wilde

15

Blanc De Chine Figures China, Kangxi period 1662 – 1722 H: 65 cm | €28,000

Bottle China, Kangxi period 1662 – 1722 H: 13,6 cm | €950

Vase China, Kangxi period 1662 – 1722 H: 13 cm | €1,250

Sprinklers China, Kangxi period 1662 – 1722 H: 20,2 cm | €9,500 16

FROM OUR GALLERY

Large Jar & Cover China, Kangxi period 1662 – 1722 H: 65 cm | €38,000

Phoenix Ewer China, Kangxi period 1662 – 1722 H: 13 cm | €7,500

From our gallery...

WALLPAPER DESIGNS BY DORIAN GUO

Cylinder Vases China, Kangxi period 1662 – 1722 H: 25,3 cm | €19,500

WWW.VANDERVEN.COM

17

Antique objects can be used and loved 18

FROM OUR GALLERY

Glass Ginger Jars & Covers China, circa 1900 H: 16,8 cm | €7,500

WALLPAPER DESIGNS BY DORIAN GUO

From our gallery...

Large Glass Bottles China, circa 1900 H: 38 cm Price on request Glass Jars & Covers China, circa 1900 H: 21,6 cm | €8,500

WWW.VANDERVEN.COM

19

20

XXX

Chinese Flower Power 21

A large object can be the eye-catcher of a space 22

8 X

2

1

8 x Chinese Export porcelain 3

8

Chinese Export porcelain are wares which were made for the West, with either a specific European shape or decoration. Designs would be sent by the East India companies to China to be copied, this could be a print, drawing or wooden model. Items were also made specially to order, with a coat of arms or special inscription, this is known as Chinede-Commande.

4

7

5 6 1. MUSTARD JAR & COVER CHINA C. 1700 | H: 13 CM | €3,750 2. CANDLESTICK CHINA, 1770-’S | H: 21 CM | €12,500 3. BLACKAMOOR FIGURE CHINA C. 1720 | H: 38 CM | PRICE ON REQUEST 4. MONTEITH BOWL| CHINA CIRCA 1710 | H: 16 CM D: 32 CM | €18,000 5. EWER & COVER CHINA CIRCA 1700 | H: 26 CM | €12,500 6. TULIP VASES CHINA C. 1690 | H: 23,3 CM | PRICE ON REQUEST 7. TREMBLEUSE CHINA, 1760-’S | H: 5,5 CM D: 18,3 CM | €14,500 8. TURKISH EWER CHINA C. 1710 | H: 30 CM | €18,000 WWW.VANDERVEN.COM

23

Q 5 QUESTIONS

Paul Klunder

biography Paul Klunder, grew up in Dutch rural woodlands, where he developed his passion for flowers and plants at a very early age.

After his horticultural higher education, he followed a masters course in botanical design. He began his career as a florist for various wellknown decorators in The Netherlands, going on to start his own company in 2004.

Working from Antwerp, Paul has since realised projects for many prominent private and business clients throughout Europe, who all value his unique and exclusive creations with the highest personal service. paulklunder.com paul@paulklunder.com paul.klunder

24

1. In what way does Chinese art & culture inspire you and your work?

Being a Master-florist and Interior-Decorator, Chinese Art and Culture inspire me in many ways, as in no other culture nature has played a more important role. The beautiful sceneries, the rich colors and even the Chinese philosophy, inspires to create a space where you can escape from your quotidian life.

5 QUESTIONS

2. W hich room in the house do you feel is the most important to invest in?

The most important place to invest in, is the living-room since this is one of the rooms, in which you relax the most and therefore can enjoy your interior the most.

3. F or you, how do art & antiques enhance an interior?

For me an interior only comes alive by integrating a combination of art and antiques which have been accumulated throughout the years, so the interior gradualy improves and reflects the owners personality.

4. W hat’s the last artistic or cultural event that really impressed you?

The last cultural event that really impressed me, was an exhibition of Kazuo Shiraga and Fabienne Verdier.

5. I f money, space or time were no object, which piece of (Chinese) art or antique would you like to have in your home?

If money, space or time were no object, I would like a combination of the old and the new world…. a Tang Dynasty - Dancing Horse and a ‘Chinese Horse’ work from Nic Fiddean-Green.

25

26

CABINETS OF CURIOSITIES

Inspiration, that is the main aim of this magazine.

So we thought why not invite four different people to make a display in the same cabinet, each in their own way using pieces from our collection and their own personal objects.

As this project unfolded we were amazed and delighted by the results. They are all entirely different and equally wonderful.

Cabinets of Curiosities One cabinet four designs | Floris van der Ven

Floris van der Ven has been working in the Asian art world for the last 30 years. He wanted his cabinet to include what he loves and deals with on a daily basis, when running Vanderven Oriental Art. His choices reflect his passion for Chinese Export objects and early pottery, as well as clocks and antiquarian art books. An avid collector himself his cabinet can never be full enough!

vanderven.com #vandervenorientalart 27

28

PHOTOGRAPHY: LEON VAN DEN BROEK & FLORIS BOUWMAN

DREAMING OF CATHAY

Dreaming of Cathay Four large rare wallpaper panels depicting river scenes with boats and landscapes in the fore and background. The scenes are those of Canton seen from the South West.

29

Four Rare Panels of Wallpaper with Canton Riverscapes China, Qianlong Period (1736-1795), c. 1750 Gouache on Paper H: 225 Width (largest) 84cm Price on request

30

DREAMING OF CATHAY

WWW.VANDERVEN.COM

31

In the foreground is the large island of Honam (Honan), that formed the south bank of the river. The city is walled, which can be seen in the background in the upper part of the panels. The recognisable landmarks are clearly defined, including the Smooth Pagoda, the Flowery Pagoda and the Dutch Folly fort in the river with its temple. There are junks and sampans sailing on the river, as well as docked.

In front of the city walls, are waterfront buildings supported by piles. Amongst these buildings, the Western merchants would have found a Hong to store their goods and receive their senior personnel. In the foreground there are scenes of everyday life, these panels would have been specifically intended for the export market.

These panels appear to be rare early examples of its kind. They are block printed and then hand coloured and embellished. This technique was used in the early stages of Cantonese wallpaper production, when they would first have been printed in black by artisans outside Canton and then the wallpaper was

32

These panels appear to be rare early examples of its kind

DREAMING OF CATHAY

coloured in by hand. Later on they were no longer printed, just painted. We can see evidence of the printing process by the broken black lines at various points on the panels. Comparable wallcovering (but in silk) hangs in the Chinese Bedroom at Saltram, Devon (UK), which has similar agricultural scenes, probably inspired by the book Yuzhi gengzhi tu (Tilling & Weaving). In the Chinese bedroom at Blickling Hall, Norfolk (UK) an inset of the wallpaper (hung in c.1760) above the fireplace with figural landscapes, also appears to have been partially printed. The Peabody Essex Museum has a later set of wallpaper (c.1800) in the collection showing scenes of Canton, where the Hongs are clearly visible.

> Published Patrick Connor, The Hongs of Canton: Western merchants in South China 1700-1900 as seen on Chinese export painting, London, 2009, p27-29, pl.2.5 > Literature Emile de Bruijn, Chinese Wallpaper in Britain & Ireland, London, 2017, p.79-105

The panorama on this set does not entirely continue from one panel to the next, which could indicate the set was once larger, or that it was never very accurate in the first place. Accuracy was not necessarily a requirement, as the exotic landscape in itself would have been highly appealing and fashionable when it arrived in Europe.

33

Q 5 QUESTIONS

Emile de Bruijn

biography

1. Which area of Chinese art & culture particularly inspires you?

Emile de Bruijn studied Japanese and museology at the universities of Leiden and Essex. He worked in the Japanese and Chinese departments of the auctioneers Sotheby’s in London before joining the National Trust, where he is now a member of the central collections management team. Emile has lectured and published on many different aspects of chinoiserie in historic houses and gardens. He was author of Chinese Wallpaper in Britain and Ireland (2017).

I am besotted with Chinese export wallpapers. They are endlessly fascinating: printed or painted with verve and finesse, intimately related to the Chinese bird-and-flower and landscape painting traditions, but also influenced by trends in western interior decoration. Tracking down Chinese wallpapers in European and American historic houses can be like a game of dominoes, linking objects and people and places.

@nttreasurehunt nationaltrust.org.uk

I am always trying to find a balance between control and serendipity. When I was finishing my recent book Chinese Wallpaper in Britain and Ireland I had definite ideas about how it should look. But by working with photographer Paul Highnam, picture researcher Susannah Stone and designer Ian Parfitt it ended up even better than I had anticipated.

2. How did you become involved in the world of Oriental Art? I studied Japanese at Leiden University in the early 1990s, which also stimulated my interest in Chinese history and culture. I worked in the Japanese and Chinese departments of Sotheby’s in London for a while, and when I then joined the National Trust I was able to do some research into the Asian collections in the Trust’s historic houses.

3. What are some of your personal words of wisdom that you live and work by?

4. What’s the last artistic or cultural event that really impressed you?

I loved Olafur Eliasson’s Ice Watch project at Tate Modern in London: a group of glistening, curvaceous chunks of ice displayed on the pavement.

34

5 QUESTIONS

detail of the wallpaper in the chinese bedroom at belton house, ©national trust

It was not just ‘art’, but also like a party, with everyone happily interacting. And it was amazing to see how a serious message about climate change can be conveyed in such a delightful way.

5. I f money, space or time were no object, which piece of (Chinese) art or antique would you like to have in your home?

It’s a bit predictable, but I would love to have a full-scale Chinese wallpaper at home. That’s not just for geeky reasons: it’s also that the visual rhythms and textures and the colour combinations are just so pleasing. I am sure that being in a room with Chinese wallpaper recalibrates your brain waves – a kind of wallpaper feng shui.

section of the bird-and-flower wallpaper in the state bedroom at penrhyn castle. ©national trust

35

Dim Sum and some...

BY CANDICE LEE

Shall we Yam cha? Literally it means “shall we have tea?” but what it actually means is “let’s have dim sum”. Dim Sum is very much a Cantonese cuisine and it refers to what I would call small canapes that is served in a bamboo steam baskets. These baskets haven’t changed its design for centuries. The little bite sized food comes usually in 3 or 4 pieces and is shared among your table companions. Dim Sum is best eaten with friends so you can taste more variety of dishes. Dim sum can be savoury or sweet. There is as many as 2000 different types of Dim Sum dishes.

Cantonese people are known for their fine cuisine, including their traditional morning tea Guangdong province and Hong Kong. Don’t try to eat dim sum everywhere else in China. It is very much a local delicacy.

It is said that the tradition of Dim Sum started when travellers in ancient China along the Silk Road, broke their journey by stopping at Tea houses and discovered that tea helped with the digestion. Small pieces of food were offered with the tea and that’s how the tradition of Yam Cha or Dim Sum began. The word Dim Sum in Cantonese means “touching the heart”, I guess that is very true, when you love food, and you taste something incredible, it goes straight to one’s heart and is sold for ever. The art of ordering Dim sum is to find a right balance in choosing the dishes. It has to be the right mix of tastes but also in textures. Something steamed, baked, deep fried, crunchy, creamy, or even chewy. The small portions allow us to have a banquet of variety of flavours.

36

Eating Cantonese food is in every way an art form, the dishes are intricately made, little gems, it is a feast for one’s eyes as well as one’s taste buds. Dim Sum dishes’ names are also incredibly poetic at times. A dish called “Snowy flake Mountain” refers to a little bun, crispy baked on the outside that is at its first bite salty but when you bite through, it oozes creamy, custard like flavour. The bun is incredibly soft and has a hint of crispiness. This one has stolen my heart for sure. Or how about a dish called “Phoenix legs”, this sounds so majestic but is another way of fluffing up for telling you that you will be eating “chicken feet”, and before you have some unsavoury thoughts of your own - no pun intended, I have to say, I am converted, after learning that this is a great source for collagen for your skin. No wonder Asian ladies have great skin.

Where to eat and what to eat?

Any Cantonese restaurant has dim sum for breakfast, lunch and at tea time (after 2pm-4pm) but how does one distinguish from a good to a great Dim Sum restaurant? There are many opinions and views and one could look up the Michelin star guide book but, if you are purely going for the food and not the ambiance or the table settings, my go-to method is to order the “classics” and if they are well made, I know that the dim sum master knows what he is doing.

What are the classics?

“Har gaw” steamed shrimp dumplings that comes in 4 pieces in a bamboo basket. It has a thin translucent wrapper around a shrimp. The translucence is that gives away if the Dim Sum master is a proper chef or not. You can’t have Har Gaw without the “Siu Mai”, these are cup shaped steamed dumplings of ground pork, chopped shrimp, Chinese mushrooms with red caviar on top and comes also in 4 pieces. Another give away of a proper chef is the Cha Siu Pao (BBQ Pork bun), the white fluffy, soft bun is carefuly kneeded an steamed. Another classic is the “Cheong Fan”, a steamed rice roll with different fillings of Cha Siu, beef, shrimps or a donut stick.

DIM SUM

Dim Sum etiquette Each Dim Sum dish comes with the right condiments, don’t drown them in soy or chilli sauce. Try to savour the dish as naturally as it comes and only use the sauces that they give with them. If you still think that you need that much sauce, just get some frozen Dim Sum from the Asian Supermarkets and steam or deep fry them at home and you can lather up with your favourite sauce till your hearts contend and enjoy it fully. Don’t insult the chef by dunking them in soy sauce. Also in Hong Kong, you will find mostly two sets of chop sticks. One is communal and one is personal. Don’t use the personal chopsticks to take a piece from the Dim Sum baskets or plates. Usually, you would order around 6 to 10 dishes and sometimes, the table can be packed.

The waiters will keep an eye on your table and will remove as soon as the last piece is taken. As most Hong Kong-ers are incredibly efficient and impatient, if the waiter doesn’t come by quick enough, the diners will stack up the plates to make room. There are places where you can do that but try not to do this when you are invited for Dim Sum at a private member’s clubs.

Drinking tea but moreover, getting a good quality tea is as important as the chef using a good quality ingredients for Dim Sum. When you notice full leaves and not finely chopped up tea leaves, that is usually a good sign that the Dim Sum will be good as well. The restaurant will mostly give you two pots. One is with the tea and one just hot water. When your hot water needs to be replenished, just take off the lid from the tea pot and the waiter will know what he needs to do. There are historical stories about serving tea and why the lid gets removed but maybe, it can be shared in the next column.

biography candice lee Candice Lee resides in Hong Kong and Amsterdam. She is the founder and organiser of Asia Art Hong Kong, an educational festival which coincides with the spring and autumn auctions in Hong Kong. As an active member of the arts community, she serves on the board music foundation, Hong Kong Generation Next Arts (HKGNA), is Vice-Chair of the Friends of the The Chinese University of Hong Kong Art Museum and Co-chair of INK ART WALK. To promote Dutch culture, arts and industries, she founded and co-organises Dutch Days in Hong Kong in conjunction with the Consulate General of the Netherlands. She believes that sharing food is the best connection you can make with friends and colleagues around the world!

Hong Kong Recommendations These are the restaurants that I personally frequent and give patronage to. But, to give you a little disclaimer, as every dim sum is handmade, if the chef is in a bad mood, sometimes, no matter how famous the restaurant is, you will know! And I am a Hong Kong Island girl, see my shortlist of restaurants.

• Duddell’s, 都爹利街中環, Level 3 Shanghai Tang Mansion, 1 Duddell St, Central They have an incredible menu. Everything is good. If you are with a group of 4 or 6, order every item. I can highly recommend it.

• Madame Fu-Grand Cafe Chinois, Tai Kwun, shop 03-101a block, 3 No.10 Hollywood Road, Central.

• The Chinese Library, Tai Kwun, 荷李 活道中環, Block 01, Tai Kwun, Police Headquarters, 10 Hollywood Road, Central • Very traditional but if you still want to experience the old Hong Kong, please have breakfast Dim Sum at Luk Yu Tea House 陸 羽茶室, 24-26 Stanley Street, Central • Victoria Harbour Restaurant, 海港酒家, 8 New Market Street, Sheung Wan • City Hall Maxim’s Palace, 美心皇宮, 香 港大會堂 2/F Low, Central. This restaurant still serves Dim Sim from a cart, pulled by lady waiters. You can go up to a cart and see what they have and get your dish. This was very popular in the 70’s and 80’s and has disappeared from the restaurant scene. But these two restaurants are still operating in the same way.

• Metropol Restaurant名都酒樓, 4樓, 4/F, 統一中心 MTR Exit D, 95 Queensway, Admiralty All the restaurants mentioned have English menu’s so you will have no problem ordering. Also, if in need, just go around the tables and point what you like, that’s how I still do it. I hope you will enjoy our list.

37

Jubilee Room Amongst the many projects Vanderven Oriental Art undertook for their 50th anniversary last year , one of the most enjoyable was Living with Chinese Art. With an interior designer, the former Blue showroom was transformed into an inspirational space to receive visitors and showcase our wide variety of art works.

PHOTOGRAPHY:MARC VAN PRAAG | FLOWERS: PAUL KLUNDER

The brief was to create a living room which feels warm and elegant, providing space to showcase our objects as well. We looked for an interior designer who was young and innovative, but also with whom the oriental art resonated. We came across Reineke Antvelink (RA Studio). She was enthusiastic from the outset and couldn’t wait to get her hands on the room and then go ‘shopping’ in our gallery to fill the room with beautiful objects – not props but the real thing!

She used the long sofa as a starting point for

38

her colour scheme and worked from there.

The bold Pierre Frey curtain fabric, the blue carpet with the olive green wallpaper emerged as the ideal combination. Luxurious cushions and leopard print poofs completed the look.

Miraculously all the colours seemed to come together in the 18th century Chinese Wall paper panels we chose to hang in the room. The selection of objects made by Reineke to display in the room, gave a renewed perspective on our own collection and fresh ideas for presenting Oriental art.

JUBILEE ROOM

39

40

JUBILEE ROOM

Modern furniture and fabrics work perfectly with antique objects to create a contemporary interior 41

A cabinet becomes much more inspiring when filled with objects of different shapes and colours

42

JUBILEE ROOM

43

Q 5 QUESTIONS

Reineke Antvelink

biography After studying at the Rietveld Academie, Reineke started her own interior design studio (RA Studio) in 2011, working on high end bespoke interiors for business as well as private clients. Based in Abcoude just outside Amsterdam, Reineke is known for her flamboyant style with fine detailing, using authentic and pure materials. She has an eye for the quirky and unusual, but remains focussed on how the essence of this can be transferred to functionality in living spaces. She lives and works in a converted farmhouse overlooking pastures, with her husband, children and many animals. ra-studio.nl @ra-studio-interiors

44

1. Which area of Chinese art & culture particularly inspires you?

For me Chinese art is all about the rich history and culture expressed in the objects. It is so appealing because it conjures up images of the exotic. For example Chinese wall paper with all its colours, depictions of nature and figures dressed in exotic clothing takes me to a dream world, transporting me to fabulous far-away places.

2. Which room in the house do you feel is the most important to invest in?

That’s a difficult question, because for me a house should be seen as a whole. If you need to make choices then the groundwork of the decorative scheme should be the focus.

Then you can enrich it with layers in the course of time, depending on your lifestyle or budget - every person or family will have a different focus at a different stage of their lives.

For example, the place I spend the most time at the moment is my office, which is always an inspirational place full of materials I use on a daily basis, as well as my calling card for the outside world. But my bedroom is particularly important to me as this is my haven, a place of rest where I go to relax and switch off.

5 QUESTIONS

3. For you, how do art & antiques enhance an interior?

An antique is the eye-catcher for a decorative scheme. I often use it as a starting point - the inspiration for the decorative scheme and colours for the space. Art and antiques give character - an added richness to the room. Pieces with a history have made a journey and modern art also has a story to tell.

This again adds to the layers of your interior, not only in texture and colour but in a broader appeal of the objects you surround yourself with.

4. W hat’s the last artistic or cultural event that really impressed you?

I have just come back from the Venice Biennale, where I have been meaning to go for many years, but never got round to it. I have always loved art, and took my degree at the Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam – so going to the Biennale was an incredible and immersive experience. For example the fantastic contrast between the old spaces and contemporary installations creates such an interesting dynamic - they really amplify each other. This is what I also try and achieve in my interiors. I have certainly come back energized, very inspired and full of new ideas.

5. I f money, space or time were no object, which piece of (Chinese) art or antique would you like to have in your home?

I would choose not just an object, but a whole room as a work of art; perhaps in a house where every room has a theme. So I would particularly love a room where the walls covered in old Chinese wallpaper and then filled with antiques. An exotic place, where I can be transported to another world surrounded by beautiful things.

45

46

CABINETS OF CURIOSITIES

Inspiration, that is the main aim of this magazine.

So we thought why not invite four different people to make a display in the same cabinet, each in their own way using pieces from our collection and their own personal objects.

As this project unfolded we were amazed and delighted by the results. They are all entirely different and equally wonderful.

Cabinets of Curiosities One cabinet four designs | Margreet Borgman

Margreet is a graphic designer with Oranje Boven.

She is not only our stylisch nextdoor neighbour, but together with business partner Theo has been designing print work and house style for Vanderven Oriental Art for many years. Apart from her love of photography (especially when travelling) she just loves great design and art. She lives in a beautifully refurbished home in ’s-Hertogenbosch with her husband Hans. oranjeboven.nl @mborgman

47

AR O UND THE W ORLD IN

25 MUSEUMS Chinese Art has been traded, admired and collected for many centuries; this has led to a truly global distribution of these exotic and beautiful artefacts.

This long term fascination with the Far East, has also led to the creation excellent specialist museum collections around the world. Here is a guide – which is by no means exhaustive to some of the best museums definitely worth visiting for their fabulous Asian Art collections. Most of them also offer an excellent online catalogue.

48

25 MUSEUMS

EUROPE

1. Victoria & Albert Museum, London vam.ac.uk 2. British Museum, London britishmuseum.org 3. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam rijksmuseum.nl 4. Keramiek Museum Princessehof princessehof.nl 5. Musee Guimet, Paris guimet.fr 6. Bauer Collection, Zurich fondation-baur.ch 7. Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisabon gulbenkian.pt 8. Anastasio Gonsalves Museum, Lisbon @casamuseu.anastaciogoncalves

2.

1.

9. Museu de Oriente, Lisbon museudooriente.pt 10. House Museum Medeiros e Almeida, Lisbon casa-museumedeirosealmeida.pt

11. Museum fĂźr Asiatische Kunst, Berlin, Germany smb.museum

12. Asian Art Museum, Cologne museum-fuer-ostasiatische-kunst.de

13. Porzellansammlung Zwinger, Dresden porzellansammlung.skd.museum

4.

18.

USA

14. Peabody Essex Museum, Salem pem.org 15. Metropolitan Museum, New York metmuseum.org 16. Freer| Sackler, Washington asia.si.edu 17. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago artic.edu 18. Asian Art Museum, San Francisco asianart.org 19. Crow Museum of Asian Art, Dallas

13.

crowcollection.org

20. Museum, Honolulu honolulumuseum.org

ASIA

21. Palace Museum, Beijing dpm.org.cn 22. Shanghai Museum, Shanghai shanghaimuseum.net 23. National Palace Museum Taiwan npm.gov.tw 24. Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore acm.org.sg 25. University Museum & Art Gallery, Hong Kong

23.

24.

umag.hku.hk

25.

49

50

8 X

2

1

8 x Blanc de chine porcelain Blanc de Chine emerges as a special microcosm within the history of Chinese porcelain production. Produced in Dehua, the ethereal and stylish all-white porcelain is in a class of its own. Appealing to both Chinese and Western buyers, it was exported to Europe as an exotic novelty in the 18th century, in a period when Chinoiserie was all the rage.

5

3

4

8

6

7 1. PIPE SMOKING CHINESE CHINA CIRCA 1710 | H: 15 CM | €19,500 2. PORCELAIN TREES CHINA 1870-’S | H: 21 CM | €15,000 3. FIGURES CHINA, 1700 | H: 65 CM | €28,000 4. RITUAL VESSEL JUE CHINA CIRCA 1710 | H: 6,5 CM | €5,500 5. GROUP OF DUTCHMEN CHINA, 1700 | H: 9,4 CM | €5,500 6. LOTUS CUP CHINA, 1700 | H: 6 CM | €6,500 7. CRANE JOSS-STICK HOLDERS CHINA CIRCA 1710 | H: 18,5 CM | €17,500 8. DISH WITH INCISED FLOWER DECORATION CHINA CIRCA 1690 | Ø 29,2 CM | €12,500 WWW.VANDERVEN.COM

51

History into Play:

Chinese Art in the Modern Interior

BY HÉLÈNE VAN DER VEN

Chinese art in contemporary interiors has a long history that precedes our modern tastes. It goes back to the lovely and wildly decorative 18th and 19th Chinese porcelain rooms in Europe’s grand palaces, where kings and princes had developed a deep interest in the exotic. The Porcelain Cabinets at the Charlottenburg Palace in Berlin or at Schloss Schönbrunn in Vienna are testimony to that, not only decorated with the best blue-and-white Chinese porcelain money could buy but also displaying the finest lacquerware and exquisitely crafted cabinets.

Although our modern-day tastes have evolved since then, there is still a wonderful and classic quality to Chinese art in contemporary interiors. In Chinese decorative objects, whether made of porcelain, bronze, lacquerware or jade, form and function follow each other closely and there is always an emphasis on elegance. Its design is often so utterly timeless that it holds its own effortlessly next to other strong pieces of art and furniture.

Groups of blue-and-white Chinese porcelain are still beautiful 52

elements in many interiors – just ask Ralph Lauren – but there are many more ways to incorporate Chinese antiques in the home. It is no wonder that more and more collectors of contemporary art combine it with exceptional Chinese archaic objects. Their purity of lines, muted colors and quality of the glaze or patina make for an interesting contrast with pieces from the 20th and 21st century.

David Rockefeller Someone who really knew the power of the combination of ancient Chinese objects with splendid 20th century art was the collector and connoisseur David Rockefeller, who together with his wife Peggy brought together a brilliant and eclectic collection of Impressionist and Modernist paintings, porcelain, silver, English furniture and Chinese porcelain and objects. They mixed objects fearlessly: in their Manhattan living room, three fierce-looking Tang dynasty Lokapala (temple guards) were sitting below a vibrant Interior oil painting by Pierre Bonnard from 1914, shapes

COLUMN

and colors blending effortlessly. The fireplace was flanked by two earthenware Han dynasty figures of riders on a horse, each supporting a lamp. Their collection sold at auction in New York in 2018 and for the viewing days, interior decorator Frank de Biasi combined several Chinese objects with contemporary art, like an abstract painting of sunflowers by Kenzo Okada offset by a Han dynasty archaic bronze wine vessel. The effect was striking and modern – no surprise that the whole collection sold for knockout prices.

Another collectors’ couple who had a thing or two to say about good taste was Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé.

They collected extensively, from ancient Egyptian objects to Empire furniture. In the living room at their home at the Rue Bonaparte in Paris they mixed Chinese Kangxi pieces with Art Nouveau objects and Iznik plates from Turkey; in their Memento Mori room, a huge painting by Bernard Buffet was flanked by two Chinese blue and white vases.

More recently, “starchitect” Peter Marino designed a Modernist mansion, including the interior, for clients in Miami Beach.

Between the geometric lines of his designs (basically two “shoeboxes” connected by a glass corridor) he combined the owner’s collection of Italian Zero art with large Asian sculptures.

The works by Lucio Fontana, Alberto Burri, Paolo Scheggi, Augusto Bonalumi – with their simple shapes, monochrome colors and emphasis on rhytm, repetition and shadow effects - pair very well with the lyrical shapes and muted colors of these large figures.

Many recent interiors feature Han and Tang dynasty sculptures, whose beauty and decorative quality lend historical interest and depth to an interior. Early pottery such as vessels, piglets, horses, court ladies, grooms and even whole picnics make for interesting collectibles. Well lit, these exquisite earthenware objects stand out as gorgeous focal points. Point in case: a recent shot of the stark-white bedroom of Kim Kardashian’s and Kanye West’s Axel Vervoordt decorated house in Hidden Hills, California, where a single Han pottery vase on a table was the main focal point.

But Chinese archaic bronze ritual vessels are now having a moment too. Once made in sets to furnish temples and tombs of China’s elite, these vessels were used to hold offerings of food and drink to the ancestors of the past. Especially Han dynasty

Groups of blue-and-white Chinese porcelain are still beautiful elements in many interiors (206 BC – 220 AD) bronzes, with their deep green patina, elegant curvaceous shapes and intricate designs go extremely well with mid 20th century furniture and art. A Yue wine vessel placed on a Pierre Jeanneret designed Chandigarh table from the 1950’s is a study in pared-down good taste. Pair a ritual Gu wine vessel with its slender silhouette and trumpet mouth with the clean geometric lines of a white Jan Schoonhoven papier-mâché relief and you have an effective contrast in colors and shape. Also, Song dynasty ceramics, with their forms derived from natural foliage, beautiful monochrome glazes and lovely proportions, are in high demand.

Because of the harmonious design, these soft green and grey plates and bowls combine very well with almost any piece of Minimalist furniture or art.

Light and playful These days, the adagio is to keep it light and playful rather than full-blown dramatic. So, be creative and inventive with these objects. Go bold and put a Bactrian camel opposite a Jeff Koons “Balloon Dog” or have a little fun when composing small table vignettes below your Ugo Rondinone “Sun” sculpture. The fact that most Chinese antiques possess an inherent harmonious quality makes them extremely well suited to go with any art, but especially contemporary art. From translucent white carved jades to 19th century colored glass and richly decorated red lacquer objects, these objects have been treasured through the ages. “The old world inspires me to create a new world”, Axel Vervoordt once said. “It is important to always look at things with open eyes and an open heart”. We couldn’t agree more - combining Chinese antiques and objects within in a contemporary interior makes you realize that true quality and craftsmanship transcends ages and conventions.

biography hélène van der ven Drs. Hélène van der Ven is an art historian and art advisor. She is active in the international art market, advising collectors on buying and selling fine art, as well as art journalist for magazines such as Residence and Harper’s Bazaar. helenevanderven.com

53

Q 5 QUESTIONS

Bouke de Vries

biography Born in Utrecht, The Netherlands, Bouke de Vries studied at the Design Academy Eindhoven, and Central St Martin’s, London.

After working with John Galliano, Stephen Jones and Zandra Rhodes, he switched careers and studied ceramics conservation and restoration at West Dean College. Since 1992 he has worked as a very adept ceramics conservator, in 2009 he started to create ceramics works of art. Using his skills as a restorer, he creates his ‘exploded’ artworks, reclaiming broken pots after their accidental trauma seeing the beauty of destruction. He lives and works in London and exhibits all over the world and his work is represented in major museum collections. boukedevries

54

1. Which area of Chinese art & culture particularly inspires you?

Ceramics are my great love and Chinese ceramics history is the best – going back thousands of years. Throughout this time China has been, and still is, the world leader in ceramics production. The technical skills they developed at different stages are still unequalled and beyond compare.

2. How did you become involved in the world of Oriental Art? I trained as a ceramics conservator and restorer and started learning about and becoming familiar with, Oriental ceramics, working on them handson as a restorer. You can learn a lot from an object handling it broken.

When I started to transition into an artist using damaged ceramics, oriental ceramics were, and still are, pivotal to my work.

5 QUESTIONS

3. W hat are some of your personal words of wisdom that you live and work by?

Just because something is broken doesn’t mean it isn’t still beautiful.

4. W hat’s the last artistic or cultural event that really impressed you?

‘The Clock’ by Christian Marclay. It’s an amazing 24-hour video installation piece that uses short clips from thousands and thousands of movies throughout cinematic history – each scene includes a clock or timepiece shown at the actual time it depicts. 8.45 am, 8.46 am, 8.47 am etc.

It’s epic and, although I haven’t sat through all 24 hours in one go, it’s amazing to dip in to for an hour or two. Fascinating.

5. I f money, space or time were no object, which piece of (Chinese) art or antique would you like to have in your home?

A couple of years ago I saw an amazing 18th-century Guan Yin in an antique dealer’s shop window in London – almost life-size – priced at £90,000.00, which really falls in the money-no-object category.

55

56

CABINETS OF CURIOSITIES

Inspiration, that is the main aim of this magazine.

So we thought why not invite four different people to make a display in the same cabinet, each in their own way using pieces from our collection and their own personal objects.

As this project unfolded we were amazed and delighted by the results. They are all entirely different and equally wonderful.

Cabinets of Curiosities One cabinet four designs | Roel Marius Brouwer

rmariusb.com | @rmariusb

Roel is an interiors blogger who loves elegant and rich interiors. He was particularly inspired by the bright jewel like colours of the porcelain, which he further embellished with flowers and fruit.

Roel has had a lifelong passion decorating, which is reflected in his work and blog. He has worked for leading Dutch interiors magazine Residence and is now a freelance digital content creator and photographer for hotels and interior designers.

He has a fabulous eye for colour and vintage glamour, which he tries to capture on camera wherever he goes.

57

58

KEW’S GREAT PAGODA

BY NYNKE VAN DER VEN

Kew’s Great Pagoda The recently restored Great Pagoda at Kew, is an delightfully exotic architectural marvel. Built in 1761-2, it is probably the most spectacular garden folly in England, towering 10 stories over the surrounding gardens. The pagoda was built as a birthday gift for Princess Augusta (Dowager Princess of Wales and Mother of George III), in the grounds of the charming and modest Kew Palace, just outside London. Garden follies were all the rage at that time and Kew had a great number.

IMAGES: HISTORIC ROYAL PALACES, UK

The Great Pagoda was one of no less than 16 structures erected in the extensive palace gardens, each mimicking a different style from around the world – it was originally flanked by a Moorish Alhambra and a Turkish Mosque! Princess Augustus was a major influence on the design and development of the gardens at Kew, already forming the basis for the now famous botanical gardens in 1759.

In the mid-18th century, with the China Trade in full swing, there was a great fashion for the Orient and particularly Chinoiserie was hugely popular. So when built, the pagoda would have been a great novelty and the very height of modernity and style. Due to its loftiness, it also offered one of the earliest and finest bird’s eye views of London. The pagoda’s magnificent size and unfamiliar shape was in fact so unusual, that at the time people were actually unconvinced it would actually remain standing. It would have been used by the Royals for entertaining guests and wow them with the views of London. Afterwards they would be able to take (Chinese) tea under its awning, in the peaceful grounds of the garden. In the 19th century, the pagoda was finally made accessible to the general public by Queen Victoria.

59

60

KEW’S GREAT PAGODA

The ambitious design of the Pagoda, was the creation of the architect Sir William Chambers (1723-1796). He was said to be inspired by his time aboard a Swedish East India Company ship in the port of Canton, where he sketched what he could see from the boat. This experience culminated in the publication of his Designs of Chinese Buildings in 1757. Though he probably never actually saw it, he was almost certainly inspired by prints of the famously tall Porcelain Pagoda in Nanjing. Despite Chambers’ observations, when he designed Kew’s pagoda he ignored the Chinese building dictates. In China pagodas have an odd number of floors, traditionally seven or nine (rather than ten), believed to represent the steps to heaven.

Despite this imprecision, the Great Pagoda was still the most accurate reconstruction of a Chinese building in Europe at the time.

Built in brick it soars 50m high, with an elegant 253 step timber spiral staircase inside, each level is 30cm narrower than the one below. The structure is built in octagonal sections, each with its own angled roof adorned with large brightly coloured wooden dragons. Many of the original 80 dragons disappeared in the course of the years, probably due to rot, but have now all been replaced in the recent conservation works.

61

The structure is built in octagonal sections, each with its own angled roof adorned with large brightly coloured wooden dragons After its recent £5m restoration, under the guidance of the conservation team of Historic Royal Palaces, it is now once again open to visitors in the summer months. You can go all the way up for the spectacular views, when reaching the top you will no doubt then understand why this unique structure was so admired when it was built over 250 years ago.

Kew Gardens, Richmond, Surrey, UK ◆ hrp.org.uk/kew-palace/whats-on/the-great-pagoda

SOURCES DAVID BEEVERS (ED), CHINESE WHISPERS: CHINOISERIE IN BRITAIN 1650-1930, 2008 DAWN JACOBSON, CHINOISERIE, LONDON, 1993 DR LEE PROSSER, HISTORIC ROYAL PLACES, UK

62

augustus ii the strong | nicolas de largillierre c.1715 | nelson-atkins museum of art, kansas

DRESDEN

Augustus the Strong (1670–1733)

As Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, Augustus II was a fabulously wealthy ruler and a major patron of the arts. He was particularly partial to Oriental porcelains, of which by 1719 he had already amassed 19,000 pieces; the collection increased to a massive 23,000 recorded items by 1721 and 35,000 by 1735. Because of his megalomaniacal buying, Augustus was said to suffer from the maladie de porcelaine – The Porcelain Sickness.

BY NYNKE VAN DER VEN

63

Augustus deployed agents across Germany and Europe to buy whatever they could lay their hands on – the bigger the items the better. The renowned fair in Leipzig was a good place for acquisition, as well as the trading ports where the goods arrived directly from the Far East. Amsterdam was a particularly rich sourcing ground, as here the newly made Chinese and Japanese porcelain was auctioned off directly by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) or sold by the private traders. The Netherlands also had a good number of dealers trading in older wares. There are also records of purchases from a Dutch female dealer living in Germany - Elisabeth de Bassetouche - who was at one point the court’s number one supplier of East Asian porcelain.

What makes the collection in Dresden particularly interesting – apart from its immense size - are surviving 18th century written inventories. The first was undertaken in 1721-1729, each item in the collection was recorded and numbered – usually by etching the cyphers into the glaze. Occasionally numbers were drawn in ink over the glaze, and have now sometimes worn off. The inventories originally spanned over 1,000 pages, with the ceramics collection divided into ten chapters, six dealing with East Asian porcelain. A second and third inventory list of the porcelain were made in 1735 and 1770-1779. After the death of Augustus the Strong in 1733, the porcelain was packed away in the cellars of the unfinished Japanese Palace – which was being refurbished and enlarged especially to house the massive Oriental together with the Meissen collection.

Currently only around 8,000 pieces are still in the Dresden collection, the other pieces dispersed or lost over the years. A significant amount was sold during the famous auctions at Lepke’s in Berlin in 1919 & 1920; the collection director at that time wanted to sell the multiples to generate funds to fill in the perceived gaps in the collection. During the war, the collection was held safely in the mines around Dresden and later removed and taken away by the Russians – largely to be returned again in the East German communist era. After the German reunification, some pieces of porcelain were also restituted in a larger settlement with the previously exiled Prince & Princess von Sachsen (Wettin) from Mortizburg Castle.

64

The collection is a very important bench mark for dating Chinese porcelains, as all the pieces in the first inventory were made in 1719 or earlier. There is currently a very important project underway, involving a panel of over 30 international experts, to photograph and publish this extraordinary resource. The project should be finalized in the course of 2019. www.dresdenporcelainproject.com

JAPANESE PALACE

BY NYNKE VAN DER VEN

Power, Porcelain & Politics The Japanese Palace, Dresden The Japanisches Palais in Dresden is a building with a fascinating history.

Standing elegantly on the Neustadt bank of the Elbe, it is often outshone by the more famous Altstadt side of the river with its impressive cluster of architectural gems and museums. The modest appearance of the building today, however, is not congruent with its illustrious history.

In actual fact, this palace played a major role in Dresden court life in the first half of the 18th century. It was here that August the Strong (1670 – 1733) planned to realise his dream of creating a ‘porcelain palace’.

65

The Japanisches Palais in Dresden

What started life as the Holländisches Palais, was reimagined to become an ode to porcelain and a showcase of Saxon power, wealth and magnificence.

We know that by 1730 the Elector of Saxony owned a massive 50-60,000 pieces of porcelain from Europe and the Orient – the largest known collection in Europe - all to be housed in this newly designed structure. After purchasing the building in 1717, Augustus entrusted leading Dresden architects Pöppelmann, de Bodt, Longuelune and Knöffel with the conversion work. With its architectural sculptures in the fashionable chinoiserie style and its pagoda roofs, the imposing four-wing complex was to be one of the masterpieces of the Dresden Baroque building.

66

The original interior design plan, would comprise a suite of nine rooms on the ground floor for the Asian objects. A further nine on the first floor would be dedicated to Meissen porcelain - the higher physical position symbolically placing Saxon manufacture above Asian porcelain. Languelune created the designs for the wall displays to showcase all the objects, inspired by porcelain cabinets elsewhere in Germany such as Charlottenburg and the Trianon de Porcelaine in France. All the fixtures and fittings were designed in the chinoiserie style – each room with its own colour way (red, green blue, white etc).

By 1721, records show that 13,228 pieces of oriental porcelain had been moved to the palace, growing to

JAPANESE PALACE

over 21,000 in 1727, indicating collecting on a truly grand scale. At this early stage of the decoration scheme, there appear to be only a relatively small number of Meissen pieces (956), which later increased manifold. Sadly, Augustus himself never saw his grand vision for the porcelain palace finished - as he passed away before completion.

His son, also August, proceeded construction and decoration, requisitioning a massive 35,000 pieces from the Meissen manufactory in 1733, as well as

The original interior design plan, would comprise a suite of nine rooms on the ground floor for the Asian objects.

placing orders for large scale pieces such as animals.

From 1735 the decision was made to drop the idea of creating an oriental edifice, the emphasis moving to the palace being a showcase for the now famous Saxon Meissen manufactory. Amongst other things. the soapstone room and lacquer cabinets were removed from the palace to make room for the new displays.

When finances eventually started to wane, the scheme continued but in simplified form. Finally the Seven Year’s War (1756-63) marked the end of the project and the idea of the porcelain palace withered away.

The porcelain and other objects either moved to other palaces or for the large part retired to the vaulted rooms of the cellar. Eventually, in 1785, a museum for classical sculptures was opened in the building.

We can only imagine what the Japanisches Palais would have looked like if Augustus the Strong had been able to complete his vision - the abundant display at Charlottenburg and the extant design drawings can give us an indication of the grandeur and scale of the plans. We can garner a glimpse of the intended display of wealth, by looking at the art works which remain, such as the porcelain. Also furnishings, such as the exotic Feather Room suite, which was once part of the original interior design and now at Moritzburg Castle.

Today the building houses the Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen and the Museum für Völkerkunde. We can only dream that one day it will be fully restored and, perhaps, the original intended interior decoration installed.

SOURCES ULRICH PIETSCH & CORDULA BISCHOFF JAPANISCHES PALAIS ZU DRESDEN, DIE KÖNINGLICHE PORZELLANSAMMLUNG AUGUSTUS DES STARKEN, DRESDEN, 2014 CORDULA BISCHOFF THE ‘JAPANESE PALACE’ IN DRESDEN: A HIGHLIGHT IF EUROPEAN 19 TH CENTURY CRAZE FOR EAST-ASIA, RITSUMEIKON STUDIES IN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE, VOL.30, NO 3, 2019 P.133-148 MAUREEN CASSIDY-GEIGER THE ‘FEDERZIMMER’ FROM THE ‘JAPANISCHES PALAIS’ IN DRESDEN, FURNITURE HISTORY, VOL. 35, 1999, PP. 87–111.

Chinoiserie sculptures adorn the inner courtyard of the palace

67

Q 5 QUESTIONS

Julia Weber

biography Studied history of art, archaeology and French Philosophy at the Universities of Augsburg and Bonn, followed in 2011 by a PHD at Basel.

She started her museum career as a volunteer at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Dortmund. In 2012 she started as curator of the porcelain collection at the Bavarian National Museum – particularly working with Meissen porcelain at the Ernst Schneider Foundation at Schloss Lustheim. She is currently director of the Porzellansammlung in Dresden, where one of her major undertakings is the overseeing of the cataloguing and digitalising of the still vast and important collection of the oriental and Meissen ceramics.

68

1. Which area of Chinese art & culture particularly inspires you?

My specialisation is in Meissen porcelain and therefore the Chinese porcelains of the Qing-dynasty from the collection of Augustus the Strong are my bridge into Chinese art & culture. Researching the influence of these highly admired imports on the first European porcelain, I also read a few travelogues of the time. I find it very inspiring to compare Chinese and European court culture in the early modern period as well as of the mutual (miss)understanding of both sides of the world.

2. How did you become involved in the world of Oriental Art? This was when the Bavarian National Museum in Munich commissioned me to write a catalogue on all pieces in the Ernst Schneider Collection of Meissen Porcelain that copy or adopt more freely East Asian examples.

This unexpected opportunity opened a new world to me.

5 QUESTIONS

The world-famous Zwinger Palace is the home to the amazing Porzellansammlung with its unparalleled display of Chinese, Japanese & Meissen porcelain. ◆ www. skd.museum

3. W hat are some of your personal words of wisdom that you live and work by?

Be passionate and grateful.

4. W hat’s the last artistic or cultural event that really impressed you?

Well, it is not the last cultural event I attended, but I still cherish the memories of our conference “Porcelain Circling the Globe” last year in June.

We were all overwhelmed by the huge response. The great interest and all the positive feedback still stimulates us in our work. It was amazing to host porcelain lovers from all over the world here in Dresden and to connect the East Asian with the European side. I feel that this is just what the Dresden Porcelain Collection can do today.

5. I f money, space or time were no object, which piece of (Chinese) art or antique would you like to have in your home?

I am extremely lucky to look after the most important and beautiful collection of porcelain in the whole world (sorry to be so subjective). Its home is the wonderful and unique Dresden Zwinger. Under these fortunate circumstances, I stay humble. I rather think about options to enrich these public collections.

69

4 8 HOU RS I N

Dresden Dresden, in the far East of Germany, is one of Europe’s top destinations when it comes to cultural highlights, historical settings and idyllic natural landscapes. It is sometimes hard to believe that Dresden was nearly entirely rebuilt after being all but destroyed in the Second World War. It is divided into two by the River Elbe; the grand churches and museums of the Altstadt nestle on the south bank, the elegant streets and shops of the Neustadt on the north side. The town boasts a wide variety of excellent hotels and restaurants that complete your visit.

70

DRESDEN

> TO S EE Dresden’s cultural heyday came during the 18th-century reigns of Augustus the Strong and his son Augustus III, under whose patronage many of Dresden’s iconic buildings were built. These include the Zwinger Palace and the Frauenkirche. While the devastating 1945 Allied firestorm levelled most of these treasures, their contents were safely removed and stored in the local mines before the bombings and now take pride of place in Dresden’s rebuilt museums. ◆ www. skd.museum The world-famous Zwinger Palace is one of the most magnificent Baroque buildings in Germany. With its pavilions and galleries and the garden in the Zwinger courtyard, it is a must-see for every visitor to Dresden. Today it is also the home to the amazing Porzellansammlung with its unparalleled display of Chinese, Japanese & Meissen porcelain, the fascinating Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon and the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister.

Across the road is the Residenzschloss, with its recently opened, painstakingly restored, royal state rooms and porcelain cabinet in the Turmzimmer. The schloss also houses the Grünes Gewölbe – Augustus the Strong’s dazzling royal Treasury containing 3,000 fabulous objects all aimed to impress and underline his royal status.

On the other side of the river is the splendid Japanishes Palais – built to house the massive royal collection of Oriental and Meissen porcelain.

The mastermind of Augustus the Strong, the interior was never actually finished as he passed away before it was completed. To get idea of the scale and grandeur of this project you can walk around the palace and into the courtyard to see the Chinoiserie ornamental figures.

Boat trip to Schloss Pillnitz & Park –The riverside palace is built in the Chinoiserie style with pagoda roofs. The surrounding pleasure garden has a Chinese pavilion and houses the famous 250 year old Japanese camelia with its own glass house. The nicest way to approach the palace is by boat down the Elbe. ◆ schlosspillnitz.de Built in 1841 the lovely Semperoper - named after its architect Godfreid Semper - is an opera house of international renown. To see the performance schedule visit the website. ◆ semperoper.de

DRESDEN CARD

The Tourist office sells the Dresden Card, which covers transport and entry to 12 key museums.

Schössergasse 23, Dresden | dresden.de/tourismus

71

> TO STAY Taschenberg Kempinski, Altstadt A beautiful classic hotel in the old town a stone’s throw from the museums. ◆ kempinski.com Hyperion Hotel Dresden Am Schloss, Altstadt A good business hotel opposite the Residenzschloss entrance. ◆ h-hotels.com Schloss Eckberg Hotel & restaurant Just outside town with great views overlooking the Elbe. ◆ schloss-eckberg.de

> TO EAT CO F F E E & C A K E S Kuchen Atelier (2 locations) Fabulous patisserie. ◆ kuchenatelier.com Café Kreutzkamm Altmarkt 25, Dresden, the oldest traditional cake shop. ◆ shop.kreutzkamm.de R E STAU R A N TS Alte Meister Theaterplatz 1 – Charmingly located by the museums opposite the opera house. ◆ altemeister.net Palastecke cafe & restaurant Schlossstrasse 2, modern international all-day kitchen in the restored minimalist communist building near the market square. ◆ palastecke.de Hierschönessen Görlitzer Straße 20, informal and fun, but excellent food in the Neustad. ◆ hierschoenessen.de Caroussel Königstraße 14, this Michelin star restaurant is located in the Bulow Palais hotel. ◆ buelow-palais.de Schmidts Restaurant & Gourmetcatering Moritzburger Weg 67, on the outskirts of Dresden in the famous Hellerau quarter – worth the trip! ◆ schmidts-dresden.de Dreiherren For a trip a bit further outside of Dresden (30 min) go to this famous winery, they serve fabulous food. ◆ dreiherren.de

72

DRESDEN

73

74

THE RED PAGODA

C. T. Loo’s Paris Gallery

The Red Pagoda Paris has many breathtaking buildings, but few have been subject to as much intrigue, speculation and astonishment as the Red Pagoda; located a stone throw away from the beautiful park Monceau in 8th district of Paris.

BY JACQUELINE VON HAMMERSTEIN-LOXTEN

75

76

THE RED PAGODA

This architectural marvel was constructed from 1926-1928 by the world famous antique collector and Asian art dealer Mr. Ching-Tsai Loo and his architect Fernand Bloch. This beautiful idiosyncratic building, which towers majestically on the corner of the rue de Courcelles and the rue Rembrandt, is known to many as the Red Pagoda, as its red tinted walls are reminiscent of those of the forbidden city. The typically oriental upward slanting roof, is adorned at each tip with glazed pottery animals such as tigers and dragons, as well as other decorative tiles and other Chinese decorative elements.

C.T. Loo was a very enigmatic figure, particularly his youth and education are a bit of a mystery and he has been subject to much speculation. We do know he arrived in Paris at the beginning of the 20th- century, and started his career with a small trade business, quickly establishing himself as a specialist Asian art dealer. There is no doubt in my mind that he was a well-educated and ambitious man, with an extreme sensibility for beauty and commerce. What is evident is that Loo managed to create an impressive international Asian art empire C.T. LOO & Cie, with galleries and offices in Paris, New York, London and Shanghai. Within the span of his 50-year career, he filled museums with Asian art treasures, formed private collections and acquired books for research and education. He was also one of the most generous donors to public institutions and his many bequests “serve as silent ambassadors for Chinese art” all over the world.

This beautiful idiosyncratic building, which towers majestically on the corner of the rue de Courcelles and the rue Rembrandt, is known to many as the Red Pagoda His genius in sourcing, selecting and placing the right objects, earned him the reputation as the foremost Asian art connoisseur of his time; his clients spanning from the royal families of Europe to the Kings of Wall Street and their banking empires. Even his contemporary colleagues and art dealers consulted him on regular basis. Loo is now regarded as the pioneer in introducing Asian art in all its variety, to the Western World and is remembered for educating a whole generation of museum directors, curators and collectors. He surrounded himself with scholars from all corners of the globe and worked tirelessly on the promotion of Asian, especially Chinese art, by publishing elaborate and well researched catalogs and studies.

In many ways C.T. Loo was instrumental in spreading the knowledge of Chinese art and creating a reference and research base that simply did not yet exist in the early 20th century. In this period museum directors still categorized Chinese and Asian art as “ethnic” and Loo worked unwaveringly to bring about the creation of special “Asian art” departments in museums so that Oriental Art could finally be recognized internationally for its extraordinary craftsmanship and refinement.

The construction of the Pagoda, was very avant-garde and no less than a big scandal for the conservative district in Paris where it was built. Surrounded by beautiful private residences of the rich collectors he called his clients, Loo was determined to build his Pagoda not only “as a Chinese cultural center”, 77

but moreover as a showroom for the most exquisite art China and other areas of Asia had to offer. By presenting his collection in a unique space, that was far removed from the traditional shop displays, Loo revolutionized the way art and objects of art were exhibited. Each of the six floors of the Pagoda were designed in a different way.

The walls of the first floor, are embellished with exquisite 17th and 18th century lacquer panels, actually serving as cupboard doors that, when opened, revealed a host of precious jades and porcelains. The elaborate paneled ceilings are decorated with birds and flowers, reminiscent of typical Chinese paintings. A magnificently carved frieze displaying auspicious scenes from Chinese philosophy is highlighted by indirect lighting.

Paintings, scrolls and sumptuous lacquer screens were displayed alongside Ming furniture and silk carpets in a way, that clients could discover a way of living with art. This was no less than “architectural 78

digest” before Architectural Digest! With his bold displays, Loo integrated objects of art into the interior, rather than condemning it into glass show cases, this way art became a part of and merged into the interior decoration.

Loo’s lavish displays of art, ready to be touched and discovered, led clients to a new experience and many curators stated that “an hour spent in the Pagoda with C.T. Loo was more educational than any publication on the subject”. His impeccable taste, that was also reflected in his three pieces suits, lead him to turn the pagoda into a comfortable space created specifically for showing off Asian art. This approach made his pieces not only desirable, but also accessible to his clients as they became part of the interior, rather than simply collectable items. Large Buddha statues, stone carvings and wooden Bodhisattvas were all wellpresented and turned into a theatrical display with clever lighting and display stands.

XXX

Quickly, museum displays were also changed to this new and exciting style of presenting art. From endless rows of glass cases, museums started to opt for a more dramatic Mis en Scene. The Burlington Exhibition in London in 1935 marked a turning point of Chinese art display and was a huge, never before attempted

success in the promotion of Chinese Art. Today, the Red Pagoda remains a symbol for Chinese art and culture, its refinement and timeless beauty.

After its restoration, it has now entered a new phase of its revival allowing for a new wave of events and exhibitions. C.T. Loo would certainly approve!

Paris Pagoda | 48 rue de Courcelles | 75008 Paris | info@pagodaparis.com | pagodaparis.com

about the author: Jacqueline von Hammerstein-Loxten took over the management of the Pagoda in March 2011, after the Loo family sold the building to a French businessman. The pagoda was purchased with the desire to rescue this architectural treasure and hence preserving it as cultural heritage. The Pagoda was declared a historical monument in 2000.

Mrs. von Hammerstein is responsible for the extensive renovation of the Pagoda and has since turned the Pagoda back into the spotlight by organizing prestigious events with international artists, luxury brands and art lovers from all over the world.

79

Q 5 QUESTIONS

Desirée Laurenceau

biography Desiree Engelen (1967) was born in Brussels. After her childhood in The Netherlands, she moved to Paris in 1991, where she studied decorative painting at IPEDEC (Institut Supérieur de Peinture Décorative). After finishing her studies she worked on major commissions for murals and interiors for Laduree shops and the Saudi Arabian royal family.

In 2008 she moved to Switzerland, where she studied Japanese calligraphy and sumi-e, which fuelled her shift to a more abstract style of painting. Being greatly influenced by Chinese art since her youth, the oriental way of approaching art is now part of her essence. Since 2016 she lives and works in Paris with her husband Jean Nicolas and four children. desireeengelen.com @desiree–engelen–paintings

80

1. In what way does Chinese art & culture inspire you and your work?

Surrounded by Chinese Art since my childhood, it has been a great influence on my artwork. The oriental way of painting is very different from that in the west. For the Chinese the negative space is almost more important than the filled in areas. I also try to implement this philosophy in my work, as leaving space can feel like an interval of silence in a composition of music.

The Chinese Han period was a big inspiration for my Bi series, which refers to the ceremonial circular jade Bi discs. The beautiful Ming and Kangxi blue were the basis for my large Blue paintings and Dragon series. At the moment I am working with the themes of fire and water, important elements in Chinese philosophy, creating big imaginary celestial gardens.

2. Which room in the house do you feel is the most important to invest in?

The most important room in the house, for me, is the kitchen. It is the room where me and my family spend the most of our time. Here we deliberate and major decisions are made - usually accompanied by some good food and wine. In my kitchen we surrounded by Chinese Han pottery objects as well as contemporary pieces - they transmit love to me on a daily basis.

3. For you, how do art & antiques enhance an interior?

I see it as an absolute necessity - the beauty of art and antiques bring joy day after day. I can contemplate an artwork for hours. Art is the seventh family member of our family, it washes away the daily dust. We practice Wabi sabi, an ancient aesthetic philosophy rooted in Zen Buddhism, which lets us find the beauty in imperfection, the incomplete and simplicity.

5 QUESTIONS

4. W hat’s the last artistic or cultural event that really impressed you?

It was the exhibition of Hillma Af Klint (1862-1944) at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. This female artist is such an eye opener, pioneer of abstraction in the 20th century, long before Mondriaan, Kandinsky and Malevitch. She decided that her work could not be showed until at least 20 years after her death, because she was convinced that the world was not ready for her art. She believed that there was a spiritual dimension to life and aimed at visualising contexts beyond what the eye could see.

5. I f money, space or time were no object, which piece of (Chinese) art or antique would you like to have in your home?

It is difficult to choose one object, as I could fill my room with so many objects of different periods. One would definitely be Jan Lievens’ Magis at a Table. The light in this painting is so amazing, even Rembrandt owned a painting of this artist. Next to this a Rothko painting and an ivory Christ figure. One masterpiece I love, is actually a firework performance Stairway to Heaven by Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang, a tribute to his grandmother. The 1650 ft ladder gives me an idea of comfort that our beloved ones are very close on the other side. If added my personal Chinese art collection to these favourites, I would display them in the Church of Light by Tadao Ando with music by violinist Janine Jansen, that would be my absolute Holy Grail!

81

82

CABINETS OF CURIOSITIES

Inspiration, that is the main aim of this magazine.

So we thought why not invite four different people to make a display in the same cabinet, each in their own way using pieces from our collection and their own personal objects.

As this project unfolded we were amazed and delighted by the results. They are all entirely different and equally wonderful.

Cabinets of Curiosities One cabinet four designs | Pieter van Loon

pietervanloonstyling.com @pietervanloon @vgjewellery

Amsterdam based Pieter van Loon is a fashion stylist and has a great eye for sophisticated design. His love of travel shows in the objects he has chosen to accessorise his cabinet with. Pieter has always had a passion for music, films, art and especially fashion – which has led to the world of styling and media. His career started as a wardrobe assistant with Dutch television and he went on to work styling and producing advertising campaigns and promotions for leading brands and publications. Today Pieter collaborates with glossy magazine, such as Esquire and Vogue, as well as styling celebrities for award shows and public appearances. In 2019 Pieter’s love for India and jewellery, led him to join the team at Van Gelder Indian Jewellery as creative producer for the visual brand communication in digital and print.

83

Modern Townhouse PHOTOGRAPHY: LEON VAN DEN BROEK | STYLING: HANS BORGMAN

The versatility of Chinese art objects comes fully to the fore in this contemporary refurbished house. The house, built in 1903, has recently been renovated to the exacting standard of the owners.

It houses their collection of design, vintage furniture and modern art. This forms the perfect backdrop for Chinese objects.

84

M O D E R N IT NO TW EN RH V IO EU WS E

85

86

MODERN TOWNHOUSE

Ancient Chinese objects combine perfectly with contemporary and vintage furniture

87

88

MODERN TOWNHOUSE

We are primarily interested in sensual forms and natural beauty in organic shapes and colors.

Margreet & Hans Borgman

89

90

The green Maroccan Zelliges (tiles), are reminiscent of early Chinese glazed wares

91

Pottery Bird China, Han dynasty 206 BC – 220 AD H: 11 cm L: 15 cm €4,800

Prancing Horse China, Tang dynasty 618 – 907 H: 50 cm W: 58 cm Price on request

Bronze Ding China, Han dynasty 206 BC – 220 AD H: 21 cm W: 26 cm €12,500

Large Pottery Vases (2) China, Han dynasty 206 BC – 220 AD H: 66,2 cm €45,000

Pottery Vase China, Han dynasty 206 BC – 220 AD H: 30 cm €7,500 Bronze Bell China, Tang dynasty 618 – 907 H: 36 cm €9,500 92

Pottery Pig China, Han dynasty 206 BC – 220 AD H: 22,5 cm L: 46 cm €25,000

INSPIRATION

Marble Sculpture China, Northern Qi period 549 – 577 H: 53,5 cm Price on request

Pottery Pillow China, Tang dynasty 618 – 907 H: 10 cm W: 28,4 cm €19,500

Han Horse China, Han dynasty 206 BC – 220 AD H: 62 cm W: 56 cm Price on request

Inspiration Pottery Figure China, Tang dynasty 618 – 907 H: 45 cm €14,500

Reclining Camel China, Tang dynasty 618 – 907 H: 19 cm W: 29 cm €38,000

Cocoon China, Han dynasty 206 BC – 220 AD H: 28,5 cm €4,750

Green Glazed Vase China, Han dynasty 206 BC – 220 AD H: 44 cm €12,500 WWW.VANDERVEN.COM

93

East is East and West is West and Well the Two Shall Meet

BY HUON MALLALIEU

Every day hundreds of visitors to the Rijksmuseum climb onto a platform so as to walk slowly past Petronella Oortman’s dolls’ house, peering into it and the life of late 17th century Amsterdam.

Among the miniature furniture, brass cooking pots, silver sconces, textiles and murals in the nine rooms are many ceramic objects, some of them porcelain imported from China. How many people, one wonders, would give this wonderful creation more than a brief glance had it been “improved” in the manner of minimalist late 20th century decorators in so many full-sized old houses, who would have thrown out the old furnishings and painted all its walls white?

A cynic might say that the fashion for minimalism allowed unscrupulous designers to charge large fees for smaller outlays, and at the same time suited clients who had money but were not knowledgeable about art or confident in their taste. A few brandname examples of contemporary art were all that was necessary to build a reputation for culture.

Luckily, all fashions pass eventually, and this one seems to be on the way out. True collectors, of course, will seldom have felt comfortable with it, unless they were strict specialists in austere disciplines, whose treasures could be displayed in such sterile surroundings. Even they will soon have realised that old and new can live together in perfect harmony. Collectors of antiquities were early to realise that ancient artifacts can be effectively displayed with contemporary art to the advantage of both. Tribal arts and traditional European sculpture, particularly small bronzes, can be enjoyed in the same manner. Oriental arts form another, wider, area of collecting in which such happy marriages can be made between cultures and periods.

According to the members of the British antique dealers’ association LAPADA, they are finding that “increased concern about the environmental consequences of buying massproduced items” means that their clients are rediscovering the individuality, artistry and sustainability of antiques. This, they say, “is leading to the rise of a ‘Century Mash-Up’ trend of embracing pieces from different periods, looks and styles”.

It is certainly true that during the last few years we have seen a tentative revival of an older fashion in collecting that was most prevalent from the late Renaissance period to the 18th century: the creation of Kunstkammern, Wünderkabinetten, rariteitenkabineten or cabinets of curiosities. These collections 94

of natural and man-made objects ranged in size from suites of rooms to just a few drawers or shelves, and originally served as playthings and propaganda for princes, from whom the taste quickly spread to merchants and the new rich.

Among the most ambitious cabinets were those of Emperor Rudolf II at Prague, and, a comparatively late example, the Green Vault in Dresden, where the treasury was rearranged and opened as a museum by Augustus the Strong in 1723. Although it is not known exactly how the Oortmans’ canalside home in Amsterdam was laid out, it is likely that Petronella’s dolls’ house was displayed in the same room as her husband’s curiosities, and that the project of furnishing it was her equivalent to his larger scale collecting.

The presence of Oriental porcelain in a 17th century dolls’ house is natural since full-sized Chinese ceramics would have been proudly displayed in the real house, alongside European works of art. Paintings of cabinets by the younger Frans Francken (1581 - 1642) frequently show a favourite Ming vase and other pots among the paintings, prints, medals, Roman oil lamps, shells, corals, jewels and small sculptures.

During the 17th century and the first half of the 18th the principal Chinese and Japanese cultural exports to Europe were porcelain and lacquer. Soon after 1611 a versifier noticed the Oriental wares offered at the Foire de Saint-Germain in Paris: “Ménez-moi chez les Portugais Nous y verrons à peu de frais Les marchandises de la Chine…

De beaux ouvrages de vernis Et de la porcelaine fine De cette contrée divine…”

Blue and white wares, which had such an effect in the Netherlands, were followed by the patterns known in the West as familles rose, vert, jaune and noir, including specially commissioned armorial services. In Chinese these were scathingly dismissed as “foreign colours”. From about 1570 in England, after 1602 in Holland, and later more particularly in France, East and West were also blended by giving prized Chinese vases silver gilt or ormolu mounts.

LOUIS VINCENT FOUQUET (1803-1863) LE CABINET D’ALEXENDRE DU SOMMERARD 1836

COLUMN

For much of the 20th century modernism held sway in the arts, and 19th century tastes were derided. It is often the case that each generation reacts against the fashions of its parents, but the next will rediscover them. The important point is that nowadays it is once again understood that there need be no divide between old and new, East and West, or art and craft, and that quality calls to quality across cultures. It is time for Frans Franken’s Ming vase to reappear and take its place in conversation with equally fine things from around the world.

To generalise, the ceramics traded by Portuguese and Dutch merchants followed by the East India Companies of other European nations, were contemporary wares; it was only later that European connoisseurs learned to value the aesthetic qualities of older pieces. An important factor was the building of the Chinese railway system in the late 19th century. During the works ancient tombs were often disturbed, leading to the discovery of grave goods such as bronzes, and pottery figures such as Tang horses and the Terracotta Army. Such things were considered unlucky by the Chinese, and so were taken home by the engineers, many of whom were Swedish. Until the mid 20th century many of the major collections of early pieces were still in Sweden.

As a result of Japan’s opening to the West after 1860, Japanese art and crafts swept through the drawing rooms and salons of Europe and the United States - as shown in James Tissot’s Young Ladies at Japanese Objects, in the Cincinnati Art Museum. The list of late 19th century European and American artists inspired by Japan is a long one, headed by Whistler, Monet, Degas, Van Gogh and Klimt, together with the designers Christopher Dresser and Louis Tiffany. . Among the best known expressions of orientalism was Whistler’s Peacock Room, but again, it was usual for less singleminded collectors to combine Japanese prints, Chinese porcelain wares and bibelots such as netsuke and lacquer with both old and contemporary Western arts and crafts.

Over the last 20 years or so the art and antiques markets have been changed almost beyond recognition by the internet, which has made even the most obscure auction or modest dealer’s shop accessible to a world-wide audience. In the Chinese field this coincided with the advent of serious Mainland buying, and previously undreamed of prices were paid, particularly for pieces with Imperial associations. That first frenzy may now be over, but Mainland buying will be a permanent feature in future.

It is undoubtedly the case that dealers in these areas, which now include Korean and South-East Asian wares as well as Chinese and Japanese, are more knowledgeable than ever before. That is one reason why, in seeming contradiction to the advance of the internet, the great annual art and antiques fairs are so important.

It is at TEFAF Maastricht and New York, BRAFA in Brussels, Masterpiece and Frieze Masters in London and other properly vetted, top-rank fairs around the world, that collectors can assess the strengths - or weaknesses - of the world’s best dealers. Some things never change. These events descend from medieval trade gatherings such as the Foire de St Germain. However, now more than ever, whether acquiring just one object or embarking on a collecting career (and the one so often turns into the other), a wise buyer establishes good relations with the trade and benefits greatly from from its experience.

Such has been the creativity of the Eastern civilisations over millennia that supplies of wonderful pleasures and treasures at all levels of the market are unlikely to dry up any time soon, if ever.

biography huon mallalieu Huon Mallalieu is an historian who writes on art, antiques and collecting for The Times, Country Life and The Oldie. He is the author or editor of many books, including The Dictionary of British Watercolour Artists and Understanding Watercolours (both Antique Collectors’ Club) and 1066 and Rather More, a Walk through History (Frances Lincoln).

He is an FSA and an Hon RWS.

95

FREER GALLERY OF ART, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, WASHINGTON D.C.: GIFT OF CHARLES LANG FREER, F1904.61

96

The peacock room, considered one of the greatest surviving Aesthetic interiors, was redecorated by Whistler with his painting ‘The Princess from the Land of Porcelain’ as focal point

THE PEACOCK ROOM

The Peacock Room

BY GRETCHEN WELCH DOCENT AT THE FREER|SACKLER MUSEUM & SOAS DIP ASIAN ART

97

text gretchen welch

The Peacock Room or “Harmony in Blue and Gold” (its formal title) is one of James McNeil Whistler’s (18341903) best known works - and one of the most popular works at the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington DC. But its home in the Freer Gallery is actually its third iteration, with the previous two being in London and Detroit, Michigan. To understand the journey of this beautiful room, we need to look at the roles in its history of three key figures - Whistler; his patron Frederick Leyland; and the collector Charles Lang Freer - and at how a desire to display art in a home is a critical part of the Peacock Room’s story and history.

98

James McNeil Whistler was an American expatriate painter who was born in Massachusetts, raised in Russia, and settled in Europe after a brief stint in America, working first in France, then in London.

Primarily known for his portrait paintings (including of his mother), watercolors and etchings, he was strongly influenced by Asian art and the Asian themes reaching Europe from Japan and China in the midnineteenth century.

One of Whistler’s earliest and most supportive patrons was Frederick Leyland (1831-1892), a wealthy English ship owner who had risen to a position of great wealth from humble beginnings. He met Whistler in the early 1860’s when he purchased one of Whistler’s early paintings entitled “The Princess from the Land of Porcelain” (which is a part of our story).

Although from Liverpool, Leyland established a home in London for which he collected many works of art, including blue-and-white Kangxi era (16611722) Chinese porcelain, the most popular ceramics collected in Victorian England.

THE PEACOCK ROOM

(Interestingly, Whistler is credited as “inventing” the “chinamania” craze for Chinese blue-and-white porcelain when he began collecting pieces in the 1860’s.)1. Leyland used his dining room to display his collection, following a tradition of having “porcelain cabinets” that originated in Europe in the seventeenth century.2 Whistler’s painting of “The Princess from the Land of Porcelain” was hung there.

Not satisfied with the initial decoration of the room, Leyland asked Whistler for “his ideas” for the room.

Whistler took on the task with great zeal as he wanted to “bring the room in harmony” with his painting.3 Whistler’s elaborate redecoration of the dining room, complete with peacocks and related motifs on the ceilings and walls, resulted in a spectacular falling-

out with Leyland (primarily over the amount of money Whistler demanded), to the point that the two never spoke again after Whistler finished the room.

However, Leyland did not alter the design of the room, and it remained intact until his death in 1892.

When the new owner of Leyland’s home decided to sell the Peacock Room, her dealer immediately thought of the American industrialist Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919) as a potential buyer. Freer had met Whistler in the 1880s and was very influenced by him to begin collecting Asian art works as well as works

by Whistler. At the time of Whistler’s death in 1903, Freer had amassed one of the world’s largest and most diverse collection of Whistler’s work.

F.R. Leyland’s dining room at 49 Prince’s Gate

Whistler is credited as “inventing” the “chinamania” craze for Chinese blue-and-white porcelain when he began collecting pieces in the 1860’s 99

The room is Whistler’s masterpiece of interior decorative mural art. The two fighting peacocks are said to represent the quarrelling artist and his patron

100

THE PEACOCK ROOM

Freer shipped the room from London to his home in Detroit in 1904 101

The intricate lattice framework of engraved walnut shelves, designed by Thomas Jekyll, held Leyland’s collection of Kangxi porcelain Although Freer felt the room was “not to his taste of aesthetic subtlety,” he purchased it in 1904 out of a “sense of ‘pleasant duty’ to Whistler.” 4 He shipped it from London to his home in Detroit, Michigan, where he filled its shelves with his own collections of Asian ceramics which were characterized by subtle colors and glazes. In its second home, the Peacock Room became a “staging room” where Freer examined new acquisitions such as Chinese bronzes and jades, and displayed some of his most favorite possessions such as his rare biblical manuscripts and Whistler’s painted Nocturnes.5 In 1906, Freer decided to donate his collection of Asian and American art “to the American nation,” and began plans for the construction of the Freer Gallery of Art, the first art museum on the National Mall in Washington DC. Freer directed that the Peacock Room to be placed in the museum next to galleries that displayed the American art of Whistler. Although Freer died in 1919 before the museum opened in 1923, the Peacock Room moved to Washington and was installed according to his wishes.

During its nearly one hundred years in the Freer, its 102

third home, the Peacock Room has been displayed in several ways: as a stand-alone attraction without ceramics on its shelves; with Freer’s collection of Middle Eastern, Japanese, Chinese and Korean ceramics and stoneware; and currently with blueand-white ceramics reminiscent of its Leyland incarnation.6 The room has also undergone major conservation on two separate occasions. Ensconced in its final home, the Peacock Room can play its greatest and most enduring role: as a treasure of art and as a source of wonder, awe and amazement for all who visit. Quite a journey for a Central London dining room designed to display porcelain!

FOOTNOTES 1 L inda Merrill, The Peacock Room - A Cultural Biography, Washington, DC, Freer Gallery of Art and New Haven, CT, 1998, p.172 2 M errill p.189 3 M errill p.210 4 Lee Glazer, The Peacock Room Comes to America, Washington, DC: Freer Gallery of Art, 2012, p. 9.

5 G lazer p.17 6 Leyland’s collection of blue-and-white ceramics was sold by his family after his death. The current display in the Peacock Room is meant to recreate how the room appeared in the late 19th century when it was completely filled with Leyland’s blue-and-white, and is a combination of Qing era ceramics in the Freer collection and newly commissioned pieces made in the traditional style in Jingdezhen, China. The new vessels are meant to be “props” to help fill the room, and will be replaced over time as appropriate Qing era pieces are acquired.

OBJECT

Three Friends of Winter A pine tree in combination with bamboo and plum blossom, are known in China as the Three Friends of Winter. All three of these plants can be found in the early spring, when the ever green bamboo and pine are joined by the first blossoming plum trees. They are models of fortitude and uprightness, considered the ideal for the Chinese scholar.

“THE THREE FRIENDS OF WINTER” LARGE BOWL WITH BAMBOO, PINE AND PLUM BLOSSOM DECORATION CHINA, KANGXI PERIOD 1662 – 1722 | SIX CHARACTER MARK ON THE BOTTOM | H: 9,5 CM | Ø: 19,6 CM | PRICE ON REQUEST PROVENANCE: PRIVATE COLLECTION THE NETHERLANDS 2019 - WITH MARCHANT, LONDON 2003

103

WWW.MEIJERINGARTBOOKS.COM SPECIALISTS IN RARE, COLLECTABLE AND NEW ASIAN ART BOOKS THE NETHERLANDS

104

|

INFO@MEIJERINGARTBOOKS.COM

|

TEL. + 31 487 570 033

BOOKS

Book Love THE BECKER COLLECTION – BLANC DE CHINE TON & MIES BECKER This hard cover book, catalogues the private collection of Blanc de Chine porcelains assembled by Ton and Mies Becker, both retired medical specialists and collectors of Asian Art. For many centuries the Chinese and Western elite admired this monochrome white porcelain made in Dehua, Fujian province. The cataloguing is organised according to the main design categories and includes images of each object and description of each item with explanatory notes. The book also includes has a number of short exploratory essays. ◆ Hardback € 29,50

CHINESE WALLPAPER IN BRITAIN AND IRELAND EMILE DE BRUIJN Nominated for the 2019 Karel van Mander prize, this fabulous book provides an overview of some of the most significant Chinese wallpapers surviving in the British Isles. Sumptuously illustrated, it shows how these wallpapers became a staple ingredient of highend British and Irish interiors while always retaining a touch of the exotic. They have remained an important element of European interior decoration for 300 years. In spite of their remarkable beauty, Chinese wallpapers have not really been studied in any depth until fairly recently. ◆ Hardback € 36,00

CHINA A HISTORY IN OBJECTS JESSICA HARRISON HALL This illustrated introduction to the history of China offers a fresh understanding of China’s progress from the Neolithic age to the present. Told in six chapters arranged chronologically, through art, artefacts, people and places, and richly illustrated with expertly selected objects and artworks, it firmly connects today’s China with its internationally engaged past. Published by Thames & Hudson in collaboration with the British Museum. ◆ Hardback € 36,00

105

COLOFON

eight magazine Living with Chinese Art No. 1 - November 2019 published by Vanderven Oriental Art Nachtegaalslaantje 1 5211 LE ‘s-Hertogenbosch The Netherlands www.vanderven.com info@vanderven.com Tel: +31-(0)73178521 editor-in-chief Nynke van der Ven creative director Margreet Borgman Oranje Boven

106

photography Leon van den Broek Floris Bouwman Paul Highnam Christine de Loë Diane van der Marel Mark Niedermann Nine Creative Agency Marc van Praag Adrien Thibaut Martin Trelawny images Freer Gallery of Art, USA Historic Royal Palaces, UK Keramiek Museum Princessehof, The Netherlands National Trust, UK Peabody Essex Museum Staatliche Kunstsammlung Dresden, Germany Royal Pavillion Brighton, UK Royal Collection Trust, UK Sotheby’s

printing Van Spijk, Venlo, The Netherlands our thanks go out to all the contributors: Nienke Anema Reineke Antvelink Eline van den Berg Hans & Margreet Borgman Emile de Bruijn Maureen Cassidy-Geiger René Dessing Dorian Guo Paul Klunder Marcus Koehler Karina Corrigan Desiree Laurenceau Candice Lee Pieter van Loon Jacqueline von Hammerstein - Loxten Roel Marius Brouwer Nynke Martens Huon Mallalieu Theo Meijer Adrian Philips Jan Stuart Floris van der Ven Hélène van der Ven Nynke van der Ven Sebastiaan van der Ven Bouke de Vries Julia Weber Gretchen Welch

@ va n d e r v e n o r i e n ta l a rt | # i lov ec h i n es e a rt

W W W. VA N D E R V E N . CO M