Page 13 - Hu Collection of Imperial Monochromes Nov 29 2017 HK

Mr. J. M. Hu with his collection, 1960s
胡惠春先生居家照，約 1960 年代

Guyuexuan enameled vases because one of the works had a 卓犖見稱，這成為其收藏事業的一大優勢。
minute chip in its glaze. A noted traditionalist, J.M. Hu went
to great lengths designing wooden stands and fitted boxes 鑑於蒐購中國藝術品的競爭日趨激烈，胡先
to preserve and display his Chinese treasures, and delighted 生遂集中精力庋藏明清御瓷，尤以其一生情
in sharing the collection with fellow connoisseurs. For J.M. 有獨鍾的清代單色釉為大宗。他以購藏標準
Hu, collecting was a serious, scholarly pursuit not to be taken 嚴格著稱，非品相完美者不收；有一回，他
lightly; the joy of art came with a responsibility to honour 僅因一瓶略有缺釉，便回絕一對古月軒琺瑯
both the artist and object. 彩瓶的邀購之約。胡先生亦重古人意趣，故
不厭其煩地構思各式座子、盒子，以存放、
J.M. Hu often spoke of the three necessary criteria in 展示其古玩珍藏，且從不吝於與鑑藏同好分
collecting: zhen (authenticity), jing (rarity and quality), and 享交流。對胡先生而言，收藏是一門嚴肅認
xin (condition). Yet it was an individual’s bond with a work 真的學問，斷不可輕慢待之；遊於藝固一樂
of art—evidenced in J.M. Hu’s beloved brush-washer—that 也，惟對藝術家和藝術品亦須心存敬意。
was of fundamental significance. In handling and examining
his ceramics, J.M. Hu sought that indefinable delight that 胡惠春先生常論及收藏的三大要素：真、精、
could come only from the beauty of artistry. In the tradition 新。以先生珍而重之的筆洗為例，至關重要
of Chinese literati who bestowed symbolic monikers upon 的始終是藏家與藏品之間的緣份。胡先生賞
their studios, libraries, and collections, the name of J.M. 玩和鑑定陶瓷珍玩時，追求的是惟有佳妙之
Hu’s studio—Zande Lou—referenced the influential Lanting 作方能帶來的無名欣悅。中國文人向來有為
Xu of the famed Jin dynasty calligrapher Wang Xizhi. The 文房、書齋和珍藏命名之雅趣，胡先生亦以
Lanting Xu text describes Zande as a person’s inner happiness. 「暫得樓」為堂名，典出晉代書法家王羲之
Although J.M. Hu intended the meaning of Zande to express 名作《蘭亭序》。文中「暫得」一詞，意指
this fleeting happiness—which he experienced as a collector 內心之愉悅。胡先生原意是以「暫得」二字，
when examining an object—the word has also come to be 描述其收藏生涯中「欣於所遇」之際，油然
interpreted as the inherently transitory nature of collecting
and possessing fine art.

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