Page 106 - Sothebys Fine Chinese Art London, November 2018

Fig 1. Gustav Detring and Constantin von Hanneken photographed with Li Hanneken,
Berlin, 1896. Image: akg-images
圖一 德璀琳及漢納根與李鴻章合照，柏林，1896年
圖片: akg-images

IMPERIAL CERAMICS AND WORKS

OF ART FROM THE DETRING/VON
HANNEKEN COLLECTION (LOTS 70-91)

The collection from which a number of the following Detring rose to have one of the senior positions in
lots derive was formed during the late Qing period the Qing bureaucracy, including a post in the Zongli
by two of the most influential Germans living Yamen (Foreign Ministry) and as Commissioner for
and working in Tianjin in the late 19th century: the Northern Ports. His achievements in China are
Gustav Detring (1842-1913) and his son-in-law nothing short of staggering. He negotiated a series
Constantin von Hanneken (1854-1925) (fig. 1). of treaties and trade agreements on behalf of the
Individually both men operated at the highest levels Chinese government; was used by Li during various
of the Qing bureaucracy and played historically diplomatic missions in the 1870s-80s; and was relied
significant roles in the politics, diplomacy and in the upon to deal with German arms manufacturers and in
military of the tumultuous late Qing period. hiring military experts. During the Sino-Japanese War,
an Imperial edict ordered Detring ‘to proceed to Japan
Gustav Detring (1842-1913) to effect a settlement’. In 1896, Detring was conferred
Born in the Northern Rhine-Westphalia, Gustav with Dingdaihualing ‘Rank One’ by the Dowager
Detring (fig. 2) moved to China in 1865 to join the Empress Cixi, making him the highest ranking
Customs Service, working under Sir Robert Hart, Westerner in China, as memorialized in a painting now
Inspector General of the Imperial Maritime Customs at the Astor Hotel in Tianjin (fig. 3).
Service. By 1872 Detring had risen to become a
Customs Commissioner in Tianjin and, six years later Detring’s contributions to Tianjin - the city he made
was appointed to serve as the private and trusted his home - were no less commendable. He founded
advisor to Viceroy Li Hongzhang, a position he held Tianjin University, co-published the Chinese Times,
for twenty seven years. During his time in China, constructed the Tianjin racecourse, paved the roads

104 SOTHEBY’S