Page 152 - C.T. Loo A paper about his impact and activities in the Chinese art Market

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Charles White in his book ‘Tombs of Old Loyang.’” (Jewell 1935) In 1921 Loo’s firm

offered John D. Rockefeller Jr. a bronze statue with a detailed report on its place of

origin, dating, condition and possible royal connection. “This remarkable gilt bronze

statue of Avaloketesvara was discovered in 1918 by Mr. Che in a river near the Aipao

village which was the ancient seat of the Tsien Ning Temple. The village is a suburb of

Loyang, south of Mukden, Manchuria where was residing the Court of the Shin House,

589 to 618...From the size and great nobleness in the expression of this statue it might

have been executed by order of the Emperor to the Tsien Ning Temple which was

situated two or three miles from the river where this figure was recently discovered. Mr.

Loo is of the opinion that the remarkable condition of this figure may be due to the fact

that at the time of some conquest in China, in order to save this figure from being looted

by the enemy, that it was carefully hidden in the bottom of the river to be unearthed again

at the proper time.” 320

Discovery lore was also employed by Loo to avoid associations with questionable

operations in his business. Loo often suggested that the objects he had acquired belonged

to nobody. It was reported that an early Zhou bronze was “…accidentally discovered by a

friend of Loo’s who was digging a well for a new house in the Chansa Province. It was

the first archaic bronze vessel to be found and brought to Europe by Loo” (La Farge

1950, 57).

Loo also manipulated the use and display context of an object to communicate its

Chineseness, exotic charm, and authenticity. The New York Times review of the 1947

320 Marion Wheildon to JDR Jr. June 1, 1921, folder 1370, C. T. Loo 1916-1949, box
137, OMR-RAC.