Asiatica - more than just Chinese porcelain vases

China , one of the oldest civilizations in human history, can look back on a more than 5,000-year tradition. In the diverse cultural flowering times of China - and other countries of Asia - exquisite handicrafts were produced, which today represents coveted collector's pieces made of porcelain, silver and bronze.

Not only dealers of antiques are interested in Chinese art, Japanese antiques and Far Eastern handicrafts from all epochs . Many private collectors have also lost their heart of Asian . Particularly noteworthy are well-preserved porcelain vases from the Ming and Qing dynasty , which have a high value for collectors.

The fascination of the East as a social trend of the 20th century

In recent decades, a remarkable trend in the German art and collector scene has been observed: the fascination for the east, especially for Asian art and culture . More and more collectors in Germany discovered the uniqueness and timeless charm of Asianism, which is an exciting asset to the local collector's culture.

It is not unusual to come across a small, artistically decorated Chinese porcelain vases , which tells stories from centuries with its filigree motifs. In another place, a Thai female figure could emerge that not only serves as a decoration, but also as an expression of a deep cultural appreciation for the articles of Asia.

And of course the Tibetan Buddha not be missing - a symbol of inner peace and spirituality that appeals to numerous people and stimulates thinking. These items are more than just decorative items; They embody life views and cultural values ​​that have been preserved over the centuries.

The increased popularity of Asian art seems to have gone hand in hand with a broader turn to Asian food and movement skills . "Chinese" has changed since the 1970s ; It has become chic to at least to pay a visit to an Asian restaurant and to be inspired by the variety of tastes. The fascination for Asian cuisine mirrors t in such a way is how many people change their diet and explore new gastronomic traditions.

In addition, Asian movement skills have also conquered a place in people's consciousness. Camparts such as Kung Fu, Karate or Judo have long since left the narrow area of ​​club sports and have become integral part of the leisure life for many. In numerous small towns, these disciplines are now firmly anchored in the club's offer, which promotes mobilization of a broad public.

The traditional Chinese shadow boxes Tai Chi has a special position in this development. Qi Gong, it has long been recognized as a health preventive measure and is also enjoying the backing by health insurance companies. In Tai Chi, people of all ages find an opportunity for more body awareness and inner calm - a harmonious connection between movement and meditation, which counteracts the requirements of modern life.

Overall, the fascination of the East is not only a fleeting trend, but a profound cultural movement that gives unexpected joy in encountering foreign cultures. This development motivates more and more people to deal more intensively with Asian traditions - be it by collecting works of art or learning traditional arts. 

East Asia and its centuries -old attraction for European collectors

Ancient to Middle Ages

East Asia had exercised a special attraction for art lovers and collectors in Europe well before the 20th century. Objects from the Far East have reached the western world since ancient times Until the 16th century, however, the precious artifacts only found their place in the collections of European monarchies.

16th century

With the discovery of the sea path to China by the Portuguese in 1516, direct trade connections with the Far East were built. Chinese and Japanese handicrafts now flocked to the households of wealthy merchants and to Fürstenhöfe to the households. Nevertheless, access to the markets, both in China and Japan, remained restricted.

European dealers were only allowed to stay on a few coastal places, and even in certain seasons. Only selected objects - especially for the western market export porcelain - were exported.

19th century

This changed in 1842 with the forced opening of China as a result of the first opium war and the signing of a series of "unequal contracts" . Japan's opening followed , the opening of Koreas . British, French and German dealers, engineers and diplomats were given the opportunity to settle in East Asia for the first time. This was accompanied by the opening of the previously almost closed art market.

In the western concessions of China, Japan and Koreas, visiting the so -called curiosity shops became a popular leisure activity. In this way, numerous European collections, such as that of the Leipzig doctor Heinrich Botho Scheube (1853 - 1923), emerged, who worked as a university teacher at the medical school in Kyoto from 1877 to 1881 and collided his extensive ethnological collection there.

In the last third of the 19th century, interest in art and handicrafts from the Far East, especially from Japan, grew noticeable in Europe. This phenomenon was largely initiated by the world exhibitions , which served as a platform for East Asian aesthetics. In particular, the color woodcuts from the "land of the rising sun" , which were presented in Paris in 1867, unleashed a wave of enthusiasm among intellectuals and led to a remarkable upswing in the collector's degree for East Asian .

With the growing interest, the trade in East Asian objects in Europe also increased. Numerous dealers who specialized in this art and handicrafts were established, especially in Paris, which quickly developed into the most important metropolis for East Asian exhibits. In 1869 there were only five curiosity shops that Chinoiseries and Japoneries , this number grew to 36 ten years later - a continuous increase.

These dealers also opened branches in trade centers such as Hong Kong, Yokohama or Shanghai to import their goods directly from East Asia. Their range included a wide range of curiosities and handicrafts: from artistic paintwork and traditional furniture to exquisite silk paintings and porcelain to decorative screens, tea, soap and exotic culinary specialties.

For European dealers and collectors, these were particularly favorable times for the acquisition of Japanese objects. The Meiji restoration promoted an opening to the West, while the export company Kiryu Kosho Kaisha, , advanced the sale of handicrafts. This went hand in hand with the support of building private art , which targeted the West as a acceptance market. At the same time, the removal of old feudal lords led to the resolution of countless feudal collections in Japan, many objects of which were sold directly to western collectors and retailers.

Europe's pioneers in the trade with Asian

In Paris, the Japanese Hayashi Tadamasa (1853-1906) and the Hamburg-born Siegfried Bing (1838-1905), in which today's Grassi Museum also acquired pieces, established the coveted Japanese wood prints as specialists for Japanese art and Ukiyo-e. Both made their goods known far beyond France with exhibitions and publications.

In 1900, Hayashi was responsible for the publication of the first history of Japan's art ( Histoire de l'Art du Japon ). Bing was the editor of the Japon Artistique , the first magazine for East Asian art, which appeared in three languages ​​(French, English and German) and was also sold in Germany.

Here, at the latest with the establishment of the German Protection Area of ​​Kiautschou 1898, art and handicrafts from the Far East came into fashion. 32 auctions and 18 exhibitions on East Asian art in the first quarter of the 20th century alone testified to a growing interest in East Asian in Germany at this time.

the first German exhibition of ancient Chinese handicrafts took place in Leipzig A Museum of Ethnic Affairs opened beforehand and set a focus on East Asia, especially Japan, and received significant collections, among other things through expeditions. The arts and crafts museum also followed this trend and collected East Asian. At the beginning of the 20th century, art objects from the Far East were present in private collections, such as those of the merchant Alexander Moslé and the Netsuke collection of the publisher Albert Brockhaus , both of whom contributed to the international fame of East Asian art.

The scientific discussion was promoted by publications, which led to the establishment of a special department for East Asian art in Berlin 1906 and later to its own museum facility in Cologne. Leipzig establishes itself as the center for directional publications and research on East Asian art.

Paris remained the center for German collectors of East Asian art, despite the growing competition in Germany. However, the market conditions changed: Japanese art became more expensive and less accessible, while the interest in Chinese antique increased significantly, favored by railway construction and excavations.

Political reforms in China also led to an increased presence of Chinese dealers in Europe. Zhang Renjie opened a spa shop in Paris in 1902, followed by Lu Huan, who founded an established trading company CT Loo The fall of the last emperor in 1912 opened other markets for valuable antiques, which Lai-Yuan & Co. a contact point for antiques porcelain and art objects.

These developments made it possible to acquire large collectors such as Vera Stadelmann-Mädler to acquire Japanese woodcuts and antique Chinese ceramics, while the global economic crisis brought numerous collections onto the market and flourished, as in the Paris Hôtel Drouot in 1927 with remarkable sales from the Siegfried Bing estate.

The Museum of East Asian Art , opened in Cologne in 1913, symbolized the desire for an open dialogue with the world at that time and was supposed to offer a new view of the art of East Asia. At a time when the German Empire propagated colonial thinking, the foundation of the museum in 1909 was a conscious departure from the craze of superiority.

However, the destruction by the two world wars led to a break in the legacy of the founders. It was not until 1977, with the new building on Aachener Weiher, that the original idea was able to revive. Since then, the museum has been involved against racism and colonialist thinking and thus promotes appreciation for Far Eastern art and culture.

The central inventory comes from the collection of Adolf and Frieda Fischer and includes significant works by Buddhist painting, Japanese activity painting and Korean ceramics. This core stock is supplemented by further valuable collections such as the Chinese sacred bronze and calligraphies, which represents the museum an outstanding forum for European East Asia art.

Asianika today - what about the trade in art objects from East Asia?

The auction market for Asian art currently shows interesting developments. While sales are stagnating in the middle and lower price segment, the high price segment is experiencing a real boom. The increasing number of collectors from Asia in particular contributes to this trend. A remarkable example is Chinese painting of the 20th century, which is still the focus of the collectors.

At an auction at Koller, a work by Li Keran, who died in 1989, a student of the famous Qi Baishi, achieved an impressive price. The painting entitled "Sunrise on the Tai-Berg" from 1957 started at CHF 150,000 and finally redeemed over CHF 2 million. Another masterpiece was auctioned in Hong Kong: a self -portrait of the painter Zhang Daqian with a Tibetan Mastiff achieved the equivalent of 5.15 million euros (48 million HKD) in April. This work was part of the auction "Icons: Masterpieces from Across Time and Space" .

Kevin Ching, the outgoing Asian boss of Sotheby’s , emphasizes that a growing number of potent collectors of younger generations is interested in these mixed auctions. These events offer an extraordinary mix of luxury objects such as Watches , wine, handbags and also art, which makes it particularly attractive for a wide, cultural and luxury-conscious audience.

Joachim Rodriguez y Romero

Owner and managing director of Kunstplaza . Publicist, editor and passionate blogger in the field of art, design and creativity since 2011. Successful conclusion in web design as part of a university degree (2008). Further development of creativity techniques through courses in free drawing, expression painting and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market through many years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with actors/institutions from art and culture.

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