‘If only Heaven will give me just another ten years… Just another five more years, then I could become a real painter.’ So said Katsushika Hokusai, one of Japan’s most prolific artists, on his deathbed at the age of 88.
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It was once the ultimate mark of sophistication for collectors of western porcelain to have Chinese export porcelain with the same exceptional level of quality as Chinese Imperial porcelain, but in the western style.
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In a world characterised by rapid technological advancements and disposable consumerism, modern antiques collectors may not be aware that their appreciation of beautiful old pieces aligns with the ancient Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi.
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Despite being closed off for much of modern history, Japan’s artistic impact on the west in the late 19th century was explosive. We look at the intrigue behind some masterworks of Meiji – part two.
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Behind a set of four early 20th century Chinese export silver spoons lurks a fascinating story of war, assassins and covert operations in Japanese-occupied Shanghai.
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Despite being closed off for much of modern history, Japan’s artistic impact on the west in the late 19th century was explosive. We look at the intrigue behind some masterworks of Meiji.
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Pioneered by Korean potters living in Japan following two invasions of Korea in the late 1500s, the Japanese porcelain industry is famous for its Imari ware.
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An alluring, immensely desirable and above all enigmatic stone, jade features prominently in many Chinese creation myths – and there are plenty of confusing factors to add to the mystery surrounding the stone of kings.
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The Fabergé egg is probably the most famous form of enamelling familiar to collectors, although it’s odds-on you have somewhat less artistic enamelling in your kitchen or bathroom. But the world of enamels is far wider than Fabergé and the kitchen sink…
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Although lacquer is used in many Asian cultures, the art of carving lacquer is unique to China. It involves the immense patience of applying layer upon layer of lacquer – sometimes up to several hundred coats – and a steady and skilled hand to carve out the intricate scenes.
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Officially known as Southern Development bank notes, Japanese invasion money was issued by the Japanese military authority as a replacement for local currency after the conquest of colonies and other states in WWII.
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It seems rarely a week goes by without a report of a new auction record for an oriental antique, all the better if it was found in the attic or snapped up at a garage sale and then sold for a fortune. But observers will have noticed that these success stories have been almost universally Chinese, even though the Japanese also produced pieces of equally outstanding quality and beauty.
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In its basic form, the netsuke is a deceptively simple item. It has to be small, it has to have holes through which a single cord can pass, and there mustn’t be anything in its design that can catch on a kimono. If those criteria are filled, the rest is left to the carver’s imagination.
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Trade with China goes back a very long way, notably to the Han dynasty along the Silk Road, but the heyday of the British
China Trade began around 1700 when the East India Company established links in Canton. British wool and Indian cottons
were traded for Chinese silk and tea and transported in sailing ships. Such a light cargo needed ballast, so goods such as
silver and porcelain provided that.
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The usage of the term in the collecting community likely stems from association with the Tuareg, who continue to carry swords in modern life. While the Tuareg remain the most recognised group using this style of sword, the Hausa, Fulani, Nupe, Kanuri and other, smaller tribes made use of almost identical swords made under similar conditions.
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Today we burn incense mostly because we like the aroma, but throughout history it has been burned in rituals to honour ancestors, purify the air and treat ailments, as well as create a perfume.
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In this first of two features, we trace the history of tea and the ceremonies associated with its use in the west.
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Most areas of the antiques trade have fallen victim to fakes at one time or another, but some have been more faked than others…
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The dragon has been the most venerable symbol employed in ornamental art and the favourite and most highly decorated motif in artistic design.
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The over-the-top prices that traditional Chinese decorative arts have been fetching at international auction houses over the past few years continue to astound. How has it come about?
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In the dynastic Chinese culture with Confucian values at its core, the celebration of sensuality – while not prominent on its moralistic and sober face – was a veneer at odds with the prevailing Western image of decorous Chinese society.
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From the 1760s to the 1880s the streets and lives of Edo in Japan were brought to life with exquisite images produced from intricate woodblocks.
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Coveted by collectors for hundreds of years, Chinese porcelain is admired for its exceptional beauty and quality.
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The Fabergé egg is probably the most famous form of enamelling familiar to collectors, although it’s odds-on you have somewhat less artistic enamelling in your kitchen or bathroom. But the world of enamels is far wider than Fabergé and the kitchen sink…
MEMBERS ONLY
Ivor Hughes takes a look at the stunningly intricate processes involved in cork painting and sculpture, a Chinese specialty a mere century old.
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There seems to be a never-ending number of pieces of Chinese porcelain selling for surprisingly enormous prices at auction, sometimes more than one hundred times their estimate. The big question would seem to be: why?
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Ivor Hughes explores the way in which Japanese art forms received high profile exposure in the West in the second half of the 19th century – and were to have an effect both immediate and enduring…
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