Page 8 - Sotheby's Dr. Wou Kiuan Collection CHINESE ART , Oct. 9, 2022

Appointed Secretary-General for the Overseas Chinese Committee at the League of
Nations in Geneva in 1937, Wou embarked on an illustrious career in diplomacy. In 1939, 1937年，吳博士獲任命為日內瓦國際聯盟
he joined the newly-formed Chinese government Foreign Affairs Service at the French 華僑委員會秘書長，開展其輝煌的外交事
embassy in Paris; before moving to London in 1941 where he worked for the Chinese 業生涯，1939年在法國駐巴黎大使館加入
embassy in London until 1947 when he was recalled to China to serve in the Ministry for 新成立的中國政府外事處；1941年移居倫
敦，在中國駐倫敦大使館任職，1947年返
Foreign Affairs until his retirement in 1952.
回中國於外交部工作，直至1952年退休。

Settling back in London, Wou devoted his retirement to the study of Chinese archaeology 退休後吳權返回倫敦，致力中國考古學與藝
and art. He developed a close friendship with the Cambridge-based scholar of Chinese 術研究，後來結識了劍橋大學中國藝術及考
art and archaeology, Professor Cheng Te-K’un (1908-2001), who was instrumental 古學者鄭德坤教授（1908-2001年），二
in nurturing Wou’s passion for Chinese art and who guided him in his early collecting 人相交甚篤，鄭教授曾於吳博士集成收藏初
期提供指導，並啓發其對中國藝術之熱枕。
journey.
吳博士是一位真正的收藏家。他的收藏焦點
Wou was a collector of the truest sense. Before turning his attention to Chinese art, he 轉向中國藝術之前曾經收集郵票和書籍，對
had collected stamps and books, and he applied the same meticulous approach to their 後者之研究態度一絲不苟，與其收藏中國藝
acquisition as he later would to Chinese antiquities. His study brimmed with volumes on 術品同樣嚴謹細緻。其書閣放滿中國歷史書
籍、考古期刊及寫上註釋之拍賣圖錄，顯示
Chinese history, archaeological journals and annotated auction catalogues – evidence of
每件藝術品都先經深入考究，方始入藏。
how rigorously each and every work that entered the collection had been researched.
His early foray into the world of Chinese art collecting focused on archaic bronzes and
毫無疑問，吳權博士多年的收藏，與大量中
It was no doubt fortuitous that Wou’s years of collecting coincided with an abundant 國藝術珍品現身倫敦藝術市場上時間點相呼 other works of historical significance. As one of the very few Chinese collectors active 吳權博士早期收藏重點，乃高古青銅器及其
availability of exceptional Chinese art on the London market. From the mid-1950s to late 應。從1950年代中期到60年代後期，他曾 in the salerooms at the time, Wou had the distinct advantage of being able to read the 他具有歷史意義之藝術品。當時活躍於拍賣
60s he was able to form a collection of well over 1,000 works that together represented 購入超過一千件藏品，涵蓋中國藝術每一 inscriptions found on some important bronzes, jades and sculptures. As a result, the 會的中國藏家爲數極少，吳博士的優勢是他
個門類。瀏覽1960年代倫敦蘇富比和佳士 collection is particularly rich in epigraphical works. 能夠辨認重要青銅器、玉器及造像銘文或款
virtually every category of Chinese art. A cursory scan through the lists of buyers at 識。因此，其收藏當中帶有銘文或款識的藏
得拍賣會的買家名單，不難發現「Wou」
Sotheby’s and Christie’s auctions in London through the 1960s sees the name ‘Wou’ 品也特別多。
（吳）字經常出現於主要藝術商和收藏家熟 Whilst Wou was able to acquire works from the sales of some of the most prominent
appear repeatedly between the more familiar names of the leading dealers and collectors
悉的名字之間，如Bluett、Tai、Sparks、 collectors of the early 20th century – Sir Percival David (1892-1964), Brenda Zara
of the era: Bluett, Tai, Sparks, Simon, Moss, Clayton, etc…. Simon、Moss、Clayton等等。 吳博士從拍賣會上投得來自大維德爵
Seligman (1882-1965), Henry Knight (d. 1971), Nellie Ionides (1883-1962) and H.R.N. 士（1892-1964年）、Brenda Zara
Norton (d. 1961/2) - no name is perhaps more evocative of the great period of collecting in Seligman（1882-1965年）、亨利奈特
Britain than that of Alfred Morrison (1821-1897), whose legendary collection was housed （1971年逝）、Nellie Ionides （1883-
1962年）和 H.R.N. Norton （1961或
at Fonthill Abbey in Wiltshire. The ‘Fonthill Treasures’, as they came to be known, included
1962年逝）等二十世紀初收藏名家之珍
some of the most important porcelains and enamels to have been produced for the Qing
品，而最能代表那個英國收藏傳奇年代的，
Emperors of the 18th and 19th centuries. In the 1965 and 1971 auctions of works from the 還是要數艾弗瑞·莫里森（1821-1897
Fonthill Collection, Wou was able to acquire no less than five Imperial treasures, which 年）之收藏。莫里森珍藏無數瑰寶於英國威
today rank amongst the most important works in the collection. 爾特郡的放山居大宅，藏品包括不少清代十
八及十九世紀的御製瓷器巔峰傑作。1965
At the heart of Dr Wou Kiuan’s drive to collect was a burning desire to preserve the relics 年及1971年，放山居拍賣藏品，吳博士便
of China’s rich historical past scattered across Europe, and to promote Chinese art and 於當時投得不少於五件御製珍品，如今都是
其收藏的焦點藏品 。
culture. It is unclear when Wou conceived of the idea to create a museum to house his
collection, but in 1968 he opened the doors to the Wou Lien-Pai Museum, named in honor 吳博士積極集成收藏，乃爲保護散落歐洲各
of his father. The collection was arranged chronologically, with the objects displayed in 地的中國文物，亦爲推廣中國藝術與文化。
wood-framed vitrines, each accompanied by typed and handwritten didactic texts. Over 我們並不知道吳博士何時動念想要為藏品創
the years the Museum became a destination for collectors, academics, visiting dignitaries 建一個博物館，只知以其父吳蓮伯命名的博
物館開幕於1968年。館中藏品按年份順序
and those ‘in the know’, and Wou would delight in leading his visitors through the galleries,
排列，物品展示在木框玻璃櫃中，每件物品
recounting stories of China’s glorious history. To this day the Wou family has remained
都附有導賞文章，或打字、或手寫。多年以
a conscientious custodian of the collection, loaning works to exhibitions and publishing
來，博物館成為藏家、學者、來訪貴賓和内
a two-volume catalogue in 2011, thereby continuing to educate future generations. 行人士聚脚地，吳博士總是熱情地帶著訪客
參觀，講述中國的輝煌歷史。時至今日，吳
氏家族仍舊全心守護此收藏，並不時將藏品
借展，並於2011年出版兩冊圖錄，繼續教
育後代。
Above left Visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister to the Chinese Embassy at the Court of St James, London, 1945. Dr Wou Kiuan standing fourth from right.
左上 中國外交部長拜訪位於倫敦聖詹姆士宮的中國大使館，1945年. 後右四，吳權博士
Above left Dr Wou Kiuan with Sir Michael and Lady Villiers at the Wou Lien-Pai Museum, July 1968
Above right A ruby-ground famille-rose revolving vase, Seal mark and period of Qianlong, acquired by Dr Wou Kiuan from the Fonthill auction at Christie’s London, 18th 左上 吳權博士與Michael Villiers 爵士伉儷於吳蓮伯博物院，1968年7月
October 1971, lot 56, illustrated in Soame Jenyns, Later Chinese Porcelain, London, 1951, pl. CVII, no.1 (lot 3801).
右上 清乾隆 胭脂紅地粉彩八卦如意轉心套瓶 《大清乾隆年製》款，吳權博士購於放山居舊藏拍賣，倫敦佳士得1971年10月18日，編號56，錄於詹寧斯， Above right Dr Wou Kiuan at the Wou Lien-Pai Museum, circa 1985
《Later Chinese Porcelain》，倫敦，1951年，圖版CVII，編號1 (拍品編號3801) 右上 吳權博士於吳蓮伯博物院，約1985年