Page 8 - 2020 Nov 30 Christies Hong Kong Springfield Museum Imperial Art

It is purported that Smith’s collecting
began with the purchase of an 18th-
century cloisonné enamel vase in the
1850s from an unnamed New York
dealer. ‘He saw the vase, and was
immediately attracted by it. After an
examination he bought it.’ In the late
19th century, numerous exhibitions were
held that brought Chinese and Japanese
decorative arts to the mesmerized
audiences of the West. Exhibitions such
as the International Exhibitions in London
(1862), Paris (1869) and Chicago (1893)
introduced ‘exotic’ and novel pieces to
the public, and inspired the collecting
imaginations of fashionable elites.

Smith had a life-long romance with
the decorative arts and culture of East
Asia, even though he never travelled to
the region. He purchased voraciously
through well-known dealers in New York
as well as Europe, especially London
and Italy, when on their Grand Tour from
1882 to 1887. The Springfield Republican
stated in 1899: ‘Mr. Smith never goes to Stivers and Smith Carriage Emporium, George Walter Vincent Smith (1832-1923) and
New York City his wife Belle Townsley Smith (1845-1928)
New York without registering a vow that in their home
܂ࡘᦆԱ⁥ॼ♈☼׾㏇ⅲ㪏㌸ՓՌ܇
he will not be tempted to buy anything ܂ࡘᦆԱ⁥䢮 䢯ۢ
more, and yet when he sees something Ւ૲́܂ㆮᙈଝૈ䢮 䢯ॼഄᆵˮ
so rare and fine that he knows he will lose
it forever unless he seizes the moment of thought.” He also once memorably of exhibitions and innovative programs in
opportunity, he is apt to yield.’ Between commented, “There are many hundreds art, history and science throughout the
1896 and 1906, Smith reported that he of dollars, but there is only one such year. Established in 1857, the Springfield
had more than doubled his Asian art work of art.” Museums’ primary mission is to inspire
collection in size and cost. By 1904 The exploration of our connections to art,
Craftsman stated that Smith’s cloisonné The Springfield Museums, located history and science through outstanding
enamels outranked the collections of the in the heart of the downtown, is the collections, exhibitions and programmes.
Metropolitan Museum and the Boston largest cultural attraction in western
Museum of Fine Arts. Massachusetts. The five museums – the The result of a lengthy process of evalu-
Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum ation and refinement of the permanent
Smith stated throughout his long history of Fine Arts, the George Walter Vincent collection, proceeds realised from the
of collecting that his primary criterion Smith Art Museum, the Springfield sale will be used for the care of collec-
was beauty, commenting that, “The key Science Museum, the Lyman and Merrie tions and to advance the Museums’
note of this collection, was intended to Wood Museum of Springfield History, and commitment to equity, diversity, and ac-
be, and is, beauty – beauty and repose, the newly opened (2017) Amazing World cess through future art acquisitions of
beauty of form, and beauty of colour of Dr. Seuss Museum – offer over half a works by women artists, artists of colour
schemes, and consequently beauty of million annual visitors an extensive variety and under-represented artists.

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