Page 11 - Youngman jade Collection Hong Kong March 3 2019 Sotheby's

Robert Youngman (1940-2018)
羅伯特•楊門 (1940-2018 年)

Perkins Youngman, was named after her aunt and it was only 擁有如此的家族淵源，我從小自然也是在中國藝
befitting that she was molded in Aunt Elsie’s image. 術的熏陶下長大。愛斯居不僅是我兒時樂園，也
As a child it was only natural that I was exposed to Chinese art 是我對中國藝術興趣的啟蒙之端。
as it surrounded my personal world. Elsinaes was but one of my
playgrounds and while many of the objects of art were placed 宅中的「中國室」富麗堂皇，長寬可比三分之一
out of my reach, I developed a sense of respect and awe for their 個籃球場，高挑的天花板，恢弘的落地窗前擺放
unusual qualities.
著精雕細緻的四扇屏風。除此之外，各面牆前也
The Chinese Room was a grand, foreboding room with a high 設一精美絕倫的彩繪屏風，配以金漆木框，更顯
ceiling, about a third of a basketball court in size with four tall,
floor-to-ceiling casement windows covered with painted screens. 氣派。房間處處可見藝術品陳設，如以瓷器改裝
Each screen was decorated with a beautiful Chinese mountain 而成的檯燈，或是玻璃罩內的金嵌寶髮簪及掐絲
landscape visible only from the outside as one approached the 琺瑯盆景，還有牙雕根付，美不勝收。壁爐架上
house. Surrounding the room, standing just in front of the 整齊排列著由我高曾祖父從中國親自帶回來的
walls, were delicate Chinese paper screens in gilded Oriental
wooden frames that rose from the floor to the high ceiling, 外銷瓷，而正中間擺放著一件青玉雕魚形擺件，
each meticulously painted. Every table and cabinet held an art 雕琢栩栩如生，猶如魚兒悠遊自在穿梭在蓮花池
object—a lamp made from a Chinese vase with a pagoda-shaped 畔，配上波浪形木座，精美異常。
silk shade, a gold Chinese hairpin encrusted with semiprecious
stones in a small glass case, cloisonné planters with rose-quartz, 家母是第一個引導我進入中國美玉世界的人。每
jade, and coral flowering plants, a Japanese ivory carving of a 年逢母親生日，她會讓每個孩子從她的收藏當中
rabbit scratching its ear with its hind foot to name but a few. The 挑選一件動物玉雕作為禮物。母親在年輕時就開
mantel held several beautifully enameled Chinese export porcelain
plates brought back by Captain Forbes. In the center was the 始蒐集動物形玉雕，後與愛斯姨姥姥一同遠遊時
wonderful jade fish, carved as if lazily swimming through a lotus 又購入許多精美玉珍。二人曾於上世紀三十年代
pond and placed on a wooden stand carved to resemble splashing 環遊中國。就當時社會狀況而言，兩名女子單獨
waves.
遊歷異國，殊不簡單。而每到一處，母親都會收
My mother was the first to introduce me to jade. It was her 集玉雕以作紀念。每當家母對孩子們展示自己所
practice, on her birthday, to allow each of us to select a small,
carved animal from her personal collection which she had 藏珍品時，我們都會異常興奮，而後發展成我們

THE ROBERT YOUNGMAN COLLECTION OF CHINESE JADE 9