Page 103 - SOTHEBYS MARCH 18 AND 19 2025

Later Chinese bronzes were appreciated and collected by a
19世紀期間，晚期中國銅器為Henri Cernuschi
small number of pioneers in the 19th century, including Henri (1821-1896年) 與 Edoardo Chiosonne (1833-1898年)等少
Cernuschi (1821-96), and Edoardo Chiosonne (1833-98), 數先驅所珍，所藏銅器近年於巴黎 Cernuschi Museum
whose collections have recently been exhibited in focused 及威尼斯 Museo d’Arte Orientale 展出。維多利亞和
exhibitions at the Cernuschi Museum, Paris and the Museo
d’Arte Orientale, Venice. The Victoria and Albert Museum’s 阿爾伯特博物館之收藏，則載於由柯玫瑰1990年著
collection was published by Rose Kerr in a scholarly 作。然而在20世紀大半期間，晚期銅器被視為難登大
publication in 1990, but throughout much of the 20th century, 雅之次等藝術，1935年倫敦皇家美術學院舉辦國際中
the category of later Chinese bronzes was dismissed as a 國藝術展，規模龐大前所未見，涵蓋中華歷代珍器
‘minor art’. The 1935 International Exhibition of Chinese Art 3080件，其中竟無一件晚期銅器。當時學者與藏家，
at the Royal Academy in London, arguably the greatest ever 專注研究商至漢之高古青銅。1980年代，晚期銅器為
exhibition of Chinese art, included 3080 works of art from 西方 Paul Moss、Hugh Moss、Michael Goedhuis 等鑒藏
every era of China’s long dynastic history, but not a single 家所識，廣爲推崇。高古青銅包漿乃由千載氧化而
later bronze. Scholars and collectors focused purely on
archaic bronzes from the Shang to Han, but by the 1980s, 成，晚近銅器包漿溫潤，則由賞玩拂拭而成。青銅禮
a small number of pioneers in the West, notably Paul Moss, 器，為祭祀而鑄，晚近銅器則為文士書閣而製，供個
Hugh Moss and Michael Goedhuis recognized the underrated 人玩賞，形制各異其趣，清雅秀麗而不落俗套，靜賞
quality of later bronzes. The beauty of the patina of these 其美，雋永怡神。
bronzes lay in their handling, as opposed to that of archaic
bronzes, emerging through oxidization. Ultimately, later 2014年至2016年間，蘇富比於香港舉辦數場晚
bronzes are a more individual art form, created for collectors 期銅器專場拍賣，銅器出自水松石山房、Ulrich
to hold, appreciate and use: art for the living, not art for the Hausmann、Gerard Hawthorn 及 Robert Kresko 等重要收
dead. The finest examples display a subtle beauty of form in 藏，及於紐約呈獻 Paul Freeman 珍藏，成績斐然，
their individuality, a purity that is evocative and tranquil. 奠定晚期銅器市場價值。
Between 2014 and 16, Sotheby’s held highly successful sales 此次 Appelbaum 醫生珍藏首度釋出，適逢紐約大都
of later bronzes from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat, 會藝術博物館「Recasting the Past：The Art of Chinese
Ulrich Hausmann, Gerard Hawthorn and Robert Kresko Bronzes, 1100–1900」大展，晚期銅器作為重要品類
collections in Hong Kong, and Paul Freeman’s in New York. 之地位，由此確認。
These were landmark auctions that set new benchmarks for
the appreciation and value of later bronzes. 此批珍藏匯集自美歐各大拍賣行與古董商，來源顯
赫，除前述諸藏外，並有曾屬 Springfield Museum 與
The sale of this first selection from the Dr. Applebaum
collection has been timed to coincide with the greatly St. Louis Art Museum 者，涵蓋各式銅器，自宋及清，
anticipated exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum - 悉為文房清供，或仿古，或創新，或取源自高古藝
Recasting the Past: The Art of Chinese Bronzes, 1100–1900, 術，或自成機杼。其制精而意遠，無論估價高低，
an exhibition which truly marks the coming of age and 皆曾為歷代藏家所珍，手澤猶存，撫之可親，觀之可
acceptance of later bronzes as a major art form. 賞，誠百世流芳之藝珍也。
The collection has been assembled by an erudite connoisseur
from auction houses and dealers across the US and Europe.
Many are endowed with prestigious provenances, including
several of the aforementioned names, and two formerly at
Springfield museum and St Louis Art museum. The selection
includes a diverse group of forms and vessels, encompassing
a range of what was created for the scholar’s table from the
Song to Qing dynasties. Some are deliberately archaistic,
but many encapsulate the innovation of the casters who
progressed from merely the copying of archaic forms to
creating new functional vessels with their own individuality
of design. Every piece, however modest the estimate,
is a beautiful work of art in itself, has been handled and
appreciated by collectors through the centuries, and still
retains its unique tactile quality.
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