Page 54 - Christie's Chinese Works of Art St. George November 2018 London

WORKS OF ART FROM
THE DETRING/VON

HANNEKEN COLLECTION

LOTS 293–302

Fig.1 Gustav Detring and Constantin von Hanneken photographed with Li Hongzhang, Berlin, 1896. Image: akg-images

The collection was formed during the late Qing circles in China as some of the most legendary
period by two of the most influential Germans living Chinese art collectors of the time, including Alfred
and working in Tianjin in the late 19th century: Gustav E. Hippisley (1848-1939), Herbert Hoover (1874-
Detring (1842-1913) and his son-in-law Constantin 1964), and von Hanneken’s brother-in-law Ernst
von Hanneken (1854-1925) (Fig. 1). Individually Ohlmer (1847-1927).
both men operated at the highest levels of the Qing Von Hanneken returned briefly to Germany in
bureaucracy and played historically significant 1895, bringing a large quantity of porcelain from his
roles in the politics, diplomacy and military of the collection back with him for safekeeping. In 1899,
tumultuous late Qing period. approximately 160 pieces from his collection were
Whilst Detring and von Hanneken’s professional loaned to the Roemer Museum in Hildesheim, and
endeavours in China are well documented, their returned to the heirs of Constantin and Elsa von
collecting activities are less known. Collecting Hanneken in 1959. Most of the collection remained
Chinese art appears to have been something for a in Germany through the first half of the 20th century,
hobby for both men - no doubt facilitated through with a number of works going with their son when
their close working relationships with Li Hongzhang he emigrated to the United States in the 1930s and
as well as their access to the Qing court, including the remaining part exhibited together with the newly
to the Dowager Empress Cixi and to the Guangxu presented Ohlmer collection in the Roemer- und
Emperor. Certain works from the collection were Pelizaeus Museum in Hildesheim from 1932 until the
likely personally gifted to them by the Qing court, evacuation of the Museum‘s collection in 1944. Since
but collecting may well have also been a means of the pieces from the von Hanneken Collection were
decorating their palatial Tianjin homes. Furthermore, restituted to the heirs in 1959, they have remained with
both men moved in the same professional and social Detring and von Hanneken’s descendants to this day.

52 SOTHEBY’S