Asian Art

They have big, wise shoes to fill but Asian art gallery managers of a younger vintage are determined to make their mark, as ATG finds out...

As London gears up for the 20th Asian Art in London festival in November, ATG talks to its founders and participants on evolving the event to stay relevant and distinct in a crowded calendar

A monumental pair of limestone hands clutching a reliquary date to the Northern Qi period (550-557AD).

ATG speaks to two exhibitors at 'Asian Art in London' - Jacqueline Simcox who has participated at the event since 1998 and Red Finer of Peter Finer Fine Antique Arms and Armour who joined in 2016.

This Japanese bronze okimono of turtles – symbolic of longevity and good luck – belonged to the empress Shōken (1849-1914), the consort of the emperor Meiji who ruled Japan from 1868-1912.

The collection of Japanese and Chinese works of art at Eaton Neston near Towcester was formed largely by Thomas George Fermor-Hesketh (1849-1924).

With the spread of religion and the development of the Silk Road during the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), Chinese works of art began to develop widely in terms of geography and form.

The market for Asian art shifts from season to season, with the supply of blue-chip wares a constant issue. Here we look at current trends, including the emergence of a more selective buyer, and predict the fortunes of the market’s core collecting areas.

The 'Asian Art in London' event celebrates its 20th anniversary on November 2-11.

The Qianlong period (1736-95) porcelain plate made for export c.1740-60 is painted in famille rose enamels and en grisaille with a half-length portrait of St Simon.

Some of the very first pieces of Chinese porcelain to arrive in Elizabethan Britain were mounted in silver-gilt to proclaim their luxury status.

The Asian Art in London initiative will mark its 20th anniversary by creating a series of events including an exhibition at The Design Centre at Chelsea Harbour in London.

The personal seals used by the Qianlong Emperor, a known connoisseur and patron of the arts, are among the most highly prized Chinese artefacts in today’s market.

Christie’s seven sales dominated the New York Asian art series. With a couple of sales still to go across the weekend, the firm’s running total was close to $35m, more than twice the aggregate of its competitors.

The slow, but observable, return of competition for fine Japanese works of art was evident at Hannam’s (20% buyer’s premium) of Selborne on August 23 in the form of this large Meiji ivory scholar’s table screen, below.

Cristina Ortega is a specialist in Chinese and Japanese ceramics with a gallery in the rue de Beaune. Now taking part in her eighth Parcours de la Céramique, she remains very enthusiastic about the possibilities…

The Chinese auction market is attempting to tackle non-payments with a series of initiatives debated at the Chinese Antiques and Artwork Auction International Forum last week.

A Song dynasty brush washer, one of the few examples of Ru guanyao court ware still in private hands, will be offered by Sotheby’s Hong Kong with an estimate in excess of HK$100m on October 3.