Page 36 - Chinese pottery and porcelain : an account of the potter's art in China from primitive times to the present day

xxiv Introduction

Those who have not the good fortune to possess the latter, will find
ample opportunity for study in the public museums with which

most of the large cities of the world are provided. The traveller

will be directed to these by his "Baedeker," and I shall only

mention a few of the most important museums with which I have

personal acquaintance, and to which I gratefully express my thanks

for invaluable assistance.

—London. The Victoria and Albert Museum possesses the famous

Salting Collection, in which the Ch'ing dynasty porcelains are seen

at their best : besides the collection formed by the Museum itself
and many smaller bequests, gifts, and loans, in which all periods
are represented. The Franks Collection in the British Museum is

one of the best collections for the student because of its catholic

and representative nature.

Birmingham and Edinburgh have important collections in their

art. galleries, and most of the large towns have some Chinese wares

in their museums.

—Paris. The Grandidier Collection in the Louvre is one of the

largest in the world. The Cernuschi Museum contains many inter-

esting examples, especially of the early celadons, and the Musee

Guimet and the Sevres Museum have important collections.

—Berlin. The Kunstgewerbe Museum has a small collection con-

taining some important specimens. The Hohenzollern Museum and

the Palace of Charlottenburg have historic collections formed chiefly

at the end of the seventeenth century.

—Dresden. The famous and historic collection, formed principally

by Augustus the Strong, is exhibited in the Johanneum, and is
especially important for the study of the K'ang Hsi porcelains.

The Stiibel Collection in the Kunstgewerbe Museum, too, is of

interest.

—Gotha. The Herzogliches Museum contains an important series

of the Sung and Yiian wares formed by Professor Hirth.

—Cologne. An important and peculiarly well-arranged museum

of Far-Eastern art, formed by the late Dr. Adolf Fischer and his

wife, is attached to the Kunstgewerbe Museum.

—New York. The Metropolitan Museum is particularly rich in