Page 19 - C.T. Loo A paper about his impact and activities in the Chinese art Market

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Prior Studies

My research at nine American museums and archives shows that there exists a wealth

of unique and important materials about C. T. Loo, including his firm’s inventory cards,

invoices, photographs, negatives, correspondence, and museum registration cards. These

materials allow the researcher to probe into the secretive world of this dealer. This first-

hand information not only sheds light on how Loo acquired, documented, promoted, and

distributed Chinese art objects, but also informs us of the objects’ origin, provenance,

age, style, and condition. In addition, these materials allow us to trace the objects’

journeys through various geographical, social, and cultural territories. Furthermore, these

materials reveal C. T. Loo’s extensive social network with the foremost dealers,

collectors, scholars, and museum professionals. Information about Loo and his circle

provides a springboard for the study of the mechanism and social context within which

Chinese art was formed in America.

Recently there has been a growing interest in art dealers, who were viewed not as

mindless vendors, but as taste shapers and cultural mediators (Steiner 1994, Lawton

1995, Leighton 2004). Considering the prominence that Loo attained in the international

art world, it is remarkable that this crucial figure has been scarcely discussed in academic

literature over the past five decades. Most writings contain sketchy biographical

information (Heydt 1957, Fuller 1958). It is possible that the Loo materials have been

neglected due to historical, cultural, political, and disciplinary obstacles, including the

secretive nature of dealing in foreign art objects, and the breadth and scope of his

activities. Loo’s business operations in Europe and the U.S., for example, are to be