Page 205 - C.T. Loo A paper about his impact and activities in the Chinese art Market

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Republic, aimed not only to reveal to the world for the first time the treasures of the

imperial collections, but also to advance Great Britain’s cultural relations with the

Chinese Republic in the international political arena. This exhibition had a profound

impact on the world of Chinese art. Gray noted, “…it must be conceded that the Chinese

exhibition of 1935-36 was indeed a watershed in the general appreciation of the arts of

China, and also a major stimulant to their studies, immediately in scholarly results…”

(Gray 1985-6, 31)

Loo’s powerful presence as a New York dealer at the exhibition was a spectacle in

itself. According to the catalogue, Loo lent forty-three exhibits, rivaling other major

contributors such as the Louvre and the Musée Guimet. 405 Among thousands of items in

the crowded galleries, the marble figure of Buddha from Loo stood out. The key was its

scale. It was the largest exhibit, nearly nineteen feet tall and weighing over three tons

(Gray 1985-6, 13). 406 The size and weight of the statue presented challenges to the

installation (Fig.63). The photograph shows that the statue was “…provisionally set up in

the back courtyard of the Academy before it was hoisted in its four sections and installed

in the central octagon where it required support of stays beneath the floor” (Gray 1985-

6,13). Undoubtedly, the scale of the statue and its placement in the Central Hall where

royal loans and sculptures were displayed, made it the center of attention in the

exhibition. David Percival, the principal organizer of the exhibition, observed, “There is

405 The Louvre and the Musée Guimet lent forty-two and twenty-one exhibits
respectively. Another hidden spectacle in the exhibition was its inclusion of objects
previously sold by Loo such as the UPM’s famous relief panel of the Taizong’s chargers.
406 According to the Art News, this figure weighs about twenty tons. (“Great Exhibition
of Chinese Art Opens in London,” Art News, December 1935, 12)