Page 22 - Christies Fine Chinese Works of Art March 2016 New York

FINE HUANGHUALI FURNITURE AND WORKS OF ART
FROM THE DONGXI STUDIO

(LOTS 1313-1314, 1339, 1390)

The Dongxi Studio is a rare assemblage of fne works of Chinese jades, ceramics, and paintings amassed by private Belgian collectors.
Dongxi signifes “things” in Chinese, but it also has a historical meaning referring to the directions of East and West. The Tang poet, Du Fu, uses the
phrase in his poem Ballad of the Army Carts:
Even if there are healthy women to handle the hoeing and ploughing,
The crops grow in felds but some grow to the East (dong) and some to the West (xi).

The naming of the Dongxi Studio comes from this historical interpretation. The collection was started more than three decades ago, when a Belgian
couple visited Hong Kong for the frst time and fell in love with Chinese art, and thus began a journey of collecting, from ancient pottery and jade
carvings to modern and contemporary ink paintings. Their collection consists of Chinese art spanning two millennia and their interests are diverse and
they grow in diferent directions, like the crops in the felds.
The gentleman of the Dongxi Studio was an art enthusiast from his youth, attending painting courses at the Academy of Belgium, as well as holding
several well-regarded exhibitions of his works in Europe. His wife was interested in studying Chinese works of art, particularly paying keen attention to
the exquisite craftsmanship of Song ceramics and jade carvings. Their enthusiasm for Chinese art has led the couple to amass an extensive collection of
paintings, ceramics, and jade carvings of exceptional quality.
The collectors of the Dongxi Studio originally purchased primarily Delftware, blue and white pottery originating from the Netherlands that was
infuenced by Chinese porcelain, but as the couple’s captivation with Chinese motifs and details grew, they began to collect Chinese export porcelain
and eventually, Imperial porcelain. Shortly thereafter, the couple became fascinated with the expressive power of Chinese jades and ink paintings and,
thus, continued to expand their collection.
Christie’s is pleased to ofer the following superb huanghuali table and pair of chairs from the Dongxi Studio. Also from this collection are a bamboo
cup (lot 1339), a bronze ritual gu (lot 1390) and a group of Han to Qing ceramics, lots 1488-1504. Dongxi Studio - Important Chinese Jade and Hardstone
Carvings from a Distinguished Private Collection will be ofered at Christie’s New York, Thursday, 17 March 2016, 10 AM.
The group being ofered is a testament to the refned taste and connoisseurship of the collectors, whose focus on quality led to one of the greatest
Belgian collections of Chinese art in the 20th century.

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