Page 63 - Collecting and Displaying China's Summer Palace in the West

48 Nick Pearce
22 In 1906, Stephen Bushell could write of the V&A’s collection: “There is a fine and
comprehensive collection of Chinese enamels in the Museum, some of the most important
pieces of which came from the summer palace at Yuan Ming Yuan after it had been sacked
in 1860”, Chinese Art, 2 volumes, vol.2 (London: HMSO, 1906, rev. 1909), 77. No such
statement would be contemplated now with any Summer Palace reference very understated.
23 382–1912. Part of a series of architectural fragments from various sites in Beijing.
24 To reinforce discipline after the looting episode and to share the spoils with that part of
the army who remained in camp, General Hope Grant ordered a prize auction. See Hevia,
English Lessons, 82–86.
25 Henry Knollys, ed., Life of General Sir Hope Grant; with selections from his corres -
pondence (Edinburgh: W. Blackwood, 1873), 180.
26 See Jane Wilkinson and Nick Pearce, Harmony and Contrast: A Journey Through East
Asian Art (Edinburgh: National Museums Scotland, 1996), 9. The ewer has a Chinese
inscription on the base recording the weight, purity and the date (2nd Year of the
Xianfeng Reign—i.e., 1852).
27 Sotheby saw service in China between 21 March and 15 November 1860, winning the
China Medal with clasp for the “Taku Forts”. Public Record Office: WO 76/277.
28 M.292–296–1923. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O497699/incense-burner/.
29 1645–1882. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O102831/plaque-unknown/.
30 H.G. Hart, New Army List (London: John Murray, July 1, 1862), 121. ww.dnw.co.uk/
auction-archive/catalogue-archive/lot.php?auction_id=40&lot_id=28238.
31 Illustrated London News, April 13, 1861, 334.
32 Rennie, Peking and the Pekingese, Vol.1, 300.
33 Minute of 28 November 1923 relating to the Loan of Chinese Porcelain and Metalwork
by Charles Bruce. Bruce Registered Papers, V&A Archive. The vase in question is listed
as: “Flat Bottle, 7”, two-handled, geometrical design in red”.
34 See for example an example in the C.P. Lin Collection, illustrated in Rosemary E. Scott,
Elegant Form and Harmonious Decoration, Percival David Foundation (London: SOAS,
1992), no.171. The Oriental Museum’s example was sold by R.C. Bruce in London on
May 12, 1953, no.133. See also Laszlo Legeza, A Descriptive and Illustrated Catalogue
of the Malcolm MacDonald Collection of Chinese Ceramics (Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 1972), no.220, pl.78.
35 For details of the Tayler purchase and the Wells Bequest, see Art List of Objects in the
Art Division, South Kensington Museum, for 1873 and 1882 (London: George E. Eyre
and William Spottiswoode, 1873 and 1882), 150–151 and 158–159.
36 For a brief biography of Wells, see Robert Mellors, Men of Nottingham and Notting -
hamshire. Being biographical notices of five hundred men and women who were born,
or worked, or abode, or died in the county of city of Nottingham (Nottingham: Bell,
1924). See also “Death of Mr Arthur Wells”, Nottinghamshire Guardian, Friday, April
7, 1882, 8. Wells’ connection with the South Kensington Museum seems to have begun
following Sir Henry Cole’s support for establishing a museum in Nottingham that would
be connected to South Kensington. This was in 1872. Nottingham Castle Museum was
the result with the first exhibition in 1873 consisting of loans from South Kensington
and private loans, including hardstones from the Wells collection. See T.C. Hine,
Supplement to Nottingham, With Notes relating to the Borough of Nottingham (London:
Hamilton, Adams and Co., 1879), 12–13.
37 The Museum received that portion of the Wells collection which was then on loan to
it. The remainder of his large collection of Chinese and Indian hardstones, Chinese
enamels, Persian and Indian arms and Japanese ivories, was sold by Christie, Manson and
Woods in a five-day sale over two weeks, 1–3 and 8–9 May 1883. See: “The Wells
Collection”, Nottingham Evening Post, May 2, 1883, 4 and Christie, Manson and Woods,
The Valuable Collection of Carvings in Hard Stone of the Late Arthur Wells, Esq, 1–3
and May 8–9, 1883.
38 “Death of Mr Arthur Wells”, 8.
39 Ming Wilson, Chinese Jades (London: Victoria & Albert Museum, 2004).
40 William Tayler, Thirty-Eight Years in India; From Juganath to the Himalaya Mountains,
2 volumes (London: W.H. Allen & Co., 1882). Tayler had been appointed Commissioner