Page 9 - March 17, 2020 Imperial Jade and Cloisonne, Sotheby's, New York

and noted art collector William T. Walters (1820-1894), that
了藝術商圈。由於Walters常駐巴爾的摩，
he first entered the world of art dealing. Being based in 需要有人幫忙打理其於紐約拍賣會所購藝
Baltimore, Walters required someone on the ground in New 術品，Avery則成了最佳人選。南北戰爭
York to assist him with his purchases at auction, and Avery 之初，Walters避居巴黎，期間結識了許多
was a willing assistant. At the start of the Civil War, Walters 藝術家好友，從而可以直接取得畫作，
fled to Paris where he met and befriended artists from 後運至紐約，由Avery經手銷售，兩人合
whom he would eventually acquire works directly, which he 作成為商業夥伴。隨著藝術在紐約的蓬勃
would then send to Avery to sell in New York on his behalf, 發展，Avery在藝術商圈的地位也逐漸鞏
with the two men sharing the profits. As the role of art grew 固。先生在第五大道86-88號開設藝廊，許
in New York’s social and civic worlds, Avery became an 多政商名流皆為先生的忠實顧客，包括威
increasingly active and prominent player within this market. 廉•亨利•范德比爾特 (1821-1885) 及奧
He established a gallery at 86-88 Fifth Avenue and counted 格斯特貝爾特蒙特 (1853-1924) 皆為其座上
amongst his clients the wealthiest New York collectors of the 賓。1868至1869年間，先生為藝術委員會
era, including William H. Vanderbilt (1821-1885) and August 聯盟的一員，也同時獲選與另外四十九名
Belmont (1853-1924). Between 1868 and 1869, Avery sat 美國公民共同建立一個國家級博物館，以
on the Union League art committee and was one of fifty 向美國大眾普及藝術文化教育。這個國家
American citizens chosen to pursue the idea of ‘a national art 級博物館後於1870年建成，也就是今天為
museum’ that would bring art and education to the American 人熟知的紐約大都會藝術博物館。至1879
people. That museum, founded in 1870, was the Metropolitan 年，幾位董事及成員更於Avery收藏中收
Museum of Art in New York. In 1879, several trustees and 購了逾1300件的中國藝術品。
other subscribers together bought a group of over 1,300
Chinese ceramics from Averys’s collection.
15