Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.: Aziatische kunst / Asiatic Art
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 Abrigeon, Pauline d' & Pauline Guyot & Catherine Tran-Bourdonneau:, Ë portée d'Asie. Collectionneurs, collecteurs et marchands d'art asiatique en France (1750-1930).
Abrigeon, Pauline d' & Pauline Guyot & Catherine Tran-Bourdonneau:
Ë portée d'Asie. Collectionneurs, collecteurs et marchands d'art asiatique en France (1750-1930).
10 2023, (21 x 27 cm), 320 pp. French text, 320 ills . softcover. Exhibition catalogue musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon. S'attachant à la construction du regard occidental sur la culture matérielle de l'Extrême-Orient, au moment d'un afflux et d'une circulation des objets sans précédent, cet ouvrage s'arrête sur les trajectoires à la fois singulières et emblématiques de collectionneurs, de connaisseurs ou de marchands d'art asiatique. La grande variété des profils abordés permet de restituer la place particulière des objets apportés d'Asie dans l'Europe des Lumières puis celle des révolutions industrielles et économiques, en soulignant combien les collections ainsi formées se situent à la croisée de disciplines ou savoirs variés, de différentes modalités d'appropriation (réelle ou symbolique), comme de multiples communautés ou cercles (érudits et curieux, marchands et agents, artistes, diplomates et scientifiques, fonctionnaires coloniaux). Selon les périodes et les acteurs qui se font les promoteurs de ce goût nouveau pour les arts extrême-orientaux, l'engouement pour l'Asie sera traversé par d'infimes modulations des intérêts comme de forts effets de ' mode ', dont témoigne la grande variété des pièces reproduites : laques, céramiques, mobilier, jades, bronzes, estampes et livres illustrés, etc
Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.Professional seller
Book number: 8570
€  49.50 [Appr.: US$ 57.05 | £UK 42.5 | JP¥ 8333]

 Adhyatman, Sumarah:, Koleksi Keramik Adam Malik. The Adam Malik Ceramic Collection.
Adhyatman, Sumarah:
Koleksi Keramik Adam Malik. The Adam Malik Ceramic Collection.
Jakarta, The Ceramic Society of Indonesia 1980, (24,36 x 30.3 cm), 222 pp. bilingual, numerous ills., some colour plates, hardcover and dustjacket and slipcase. BOOKSALE 2018: 120,00 NOW Û 40,00 Signed by the author. Condition very good. On the ceramic collection of Adam Malik (1917-1984) former vice-president of Indonesia.
Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.Professional seller
Book number: 6387
€  40.00 [Appr.: US$ 46.1 | £UK 34.5 | JP¥ 6733]

 Adhyatman, Sumarah & Abu Ridho:, Tempayan di Ondonesia / Martavans in Indonesia.
Adhyatman, Sumarah & Abu Ridho:
Tempayan di Ondonesia / Martavans in Indonesia.
Jakarta, The Ceramic Society of Indonesia, 1984, 2nd edition, (19 x 24, 9 cm), 208 pp. bilingual, numerous ills., some colour plates, hardcover and dustjacket. Martavan is the name used to refer to a group of big stoneware or highly fired earthenware storage jars. The name can be traced to the important entrepot port of Martaban in Burma. Martaban was an active base from whence the Chinese wares were shipped to the Near East, India and Africa during the Sung and Ming dynasties and it was at Martaban that these big jars were first observed by Westerbners. Early Western writers on the porcelain trade route called a wide number of ceramic products 'Martavans' after the port. The popular Indonesian name for martavans is tempayan, a name which originates from 'tempat tape' the containers in which the local fermenting rice or cassava is made. Martabani jars have now become decorative pieces in the modern home and their value has soared as the factor of antiquity comes into play. Beyond this, especially among the peoples of Sarawak and the Philippine Archipelago, some jars accredited with magical powers, have become priceless.
Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.Professional seller
Book number: 6384
€  30.00 [Appr.: US$ 34.58 | £UK 25.75 | JP¥ 5050]

 HIROSHIGE - Andreas Marks:, Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, The definitive collector's edition.
HIROSHIGE - Andreas Marks:
Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, The definitive collector's edition.
04 2024, (21,5 x 29 cm), 320 pp. English, numerous colour ills., hardcover and dustjacket. In this series, Hiroshige captures 118 locations in and around Edo, today's Tokyo, during all four seasons and often from hitherto unknown and unique perspectives. These views were first printed in exquisite luxury versions, incorporating innovative woodblock printing features like color gradation. No complete set of the early versions exists today and this is the first book to present a complete set of the deluxe early printings, sourced from 32 different museums and private collections. Andreas Marks consulted 4,700 prints in order to compile this definitive guide to Hiroshige's One Hundred Famous Views of Edo. Marks presents the various printed versions along with reference images showing how and where Hiroshige sourced his ideas for each view - from previous books and illustrations. The result is a definitive guide to understanding the complexity of Hiroshige's great work as well as the dynamics of the Japanese print market during this period. Marks' introduction discusses the genesis of the series in the context of Japanese landscape art as well as Hiroshige's personal biography. The book then presents all 118 prints together with their source materials and a map showing the locations of each view, followed by a detailed appendix discussing the great color variations found in subsequent printings of the series.
Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.Professional seller
Book number: 8673
€  42.95 [Appr.: US$ 49.5 | £UK 37 | JP¥ 7230]

 Anja Hell & Lutz Miedtank:, From China to Meissen. 300 Years of Blue Onion Pattern.
Anja Hell & Lutz Miedtank:
From China to Meissen. 300 Years of Blue Onion Pattern.
04 2023, (17 x 21 cm), 164 pp. English, 153 colour ills., paperback The Blue Onion Pattern is almost as old as the European invention of porcelain itself! But what is so special about it? Why has it fascinated us for three hundred years? What role did the Onion Pattern play in 18th century Chinese export porcelain in underglaze blue and famille rose? The history of the Blue Onion Pattern is intertwined with the history of blue-and-white porcelain painting itself. Anja Hell sheds light on the beginnings of Meissen underglaze blue painting until the year 1739, and later covers the range from the 19th century to the present. She examines the artistic development of blue-and-white painting and the associated economic implications for the Meissen Manufactory._Lutz Miedtank cogently presents the results of his many years of research on the early period of the Blue Onion Pattern. Inspired by Chinese export porcelain and underglaze blue decorated faience, Meissen's blue painters created their own Meissen Blue Onion Pattern on hard paste porcelain around 1730. Hitherto unpublished Chinese export and early Meissen porcelain with 'Blue Onion' designs including several over-decorations that were re-dated using XRF data, as well as numerous imitations of the pattern on 18th century European porcelain and faience are shown. They provide important evidence for new and surprising insights into the genesis of the Meissen Blue Onion Pattern._This English edition is based on the revised 2023 German edition of Von China nach Meissen. 300 Jahre Zwiebelmuster published in open access. It features an Introduction by Prof. Dr. Ulrich Pietsch, Director emeritus of the Dresden Porcelain Collection. A large number of previously unpublished porcelain objects, copious comments and annotations, and a comprehensive list of primary sources render this book an indispensable reference work for collectors, art dealers, historians, and friends of the Blue Onion Pattern.
Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.Professional seller
Book number: 8710
€  35.00 [Appr.: US$ 40.34 | £UK 30 | JP¥ 5892]

 Arts, P.L.W.:, Japanese Porcelain. A collector's guide to general aspects and decorative motifs.
Arts, P.L.W.:
Japanese Porcelain. A collector's guide to general aspects and decorative motifs.
Lochem 1983, (16,5 x 24,5 cm), 178 pp. English text, 90 colour plts. & 101 b/w. figures, hardcover/ dustjacket. This book was written with the interests of the collector of Japanese porcelain of the period between the middle of the 17th century and the beginning of the 19th century in mind. In a historical survey an attempt has made to set out the key events from three points of view. 1. The development of Japanese porcelain from the beginning of the 17th century on, the production of blue-and-white wares at Kyushu during the first five decennia, the invention of enamelling and the resulting polychrome wares on. 2. The fact that this development was seemingly perfectly timed to meet the needs of the foreign trade: The Portuguese pioneers penetrating the traditional Chinese trade area during the 16th. century, the mighty enterprise of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in the 17th century, its incredible amounts of Chinese porcelain shipped by them during the first half of that century and the export of Japanese ware from 1654 on, and finally the reorientation of the VOC to Chinese porcelain. 3. All this observed against the background of the increasing influence of the Tokugawa Shogunate on artistic life inside Japan, the strong traditional Chinese and Korean influences, present and appreciated for many centuries, being suppressed as a result of the isolationist policy and making way for Japanese national consciousness and later on for European influences. An important chapter is devoted to the techniques of porcelain making in Old Japan, Attention has been paid to such types as kilns, clay-composition, firing processes, basic enamel-colours and -compositions, spur marks, etc. Description of types of Japanese porcelain presenting the facts about and characteristics of blue-and -white ware, Imari ware, Kakiemon, Kutani ware and Nabeshima ware. Hirado ware is only mentioned briefly.
Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.Professional seller
Book number: 5558
€  49.50 [Appr.: US$ 57.05 | £UK 42.5 | JP¥ 8333]

 Ayers, John:, Chinese and Japanse Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen.
Ayers, John:
Chinese and Japanse Works of Art in the Collection of Her Majesty The Queen.
November 2016, (24,5 x 30 cm), 3 volumes, ± 1296 pp. English text, ± 2.400 colour ills., hardcover. The first ever catalogue on Chinese and Japanese works of art in the Royal Collection. Contains more than 2.000 individual objects and presents historically significant evidence detailing the trade of luxury goods between Europe and the East over the last 300 years. The Royal Collection includes some of the most historic examples of eastern arts now in the western world. With more than 2,000 items distributed among the royal residences in England and Scotland, this collection presents a rich cross-section of the porcelains, jades, lacquer and other works of art produced in China and Japan and brought here over a period of several centuries, reflecting the West's long-standing appetite for rarities from distant lands. A striking feature of the collection is the mounting in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries of many objects in gilt bronze: the mounts themselves, made in French and British workshops, are often of superb quality and of great historical importance and will be published here for the first time. John Ayers is a specialist in Asian ceramics, having published more than 20 books on the subject. He was formerly Keeper of the Far Eastern Department at the Victoria and Albert Museum. This reference work was printed in a limited edition of 1.150 copies (750 + 400). Volume 1: This volume presents the Chinese ceramics of the Ming and Qing dynasties in chronological order (continued in Volume Two). In addition, due to their unique historical significance, the contents of the collection at Hampton Court Palace are presented here separately. Volume Two continues the works of the Qing dynasty, and ends with the Japanese works. The volume also contains a special focus on the European mounts that were added to works of Chinese and Japanese porcelain during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The final volume (3) contains non-porcelain works, namely lacquer, jade and other hardstones, carved ivories, textiles and metalwork. Many of these works came into the Royal Collection as Imperial gifts, to George III, Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, with the exception of the Japanese lacquer wares which were acquired for George IV, to furnish the Royal Pavilion at Brighton. Although not much studied, these pieces were certainly admired by the royal family and Chinese rooms were created at Windsor and Sandringham House, decorated with an eclectic mixture of European chinoiserie and authentic works of Asian art.
Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.Professional seller
Book number: 5945
€  360.00 [Appr.: US$ 414.92 | £UK 308.5 | JP¥ 60601]

 Ayers, John & Julian Thompson, Laurence C.S. Tam,  Ko Shih Chao:, Chinese Porcelain. The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection
Ayers, John & Julian Thompson, Laurence C.S. Tam, Ko Shih Chao:
Chinese Porcelain. The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection
Urban Council, Hong Kong, 1987, 2 Volumes, ( 27,5 x 37 cm), 364 pp. (volume I) +240 pp. (volume II). text in English and Chinese, 400 colour ills., including 59 panoramic views pages, 2 volumes hardcover clothbinding in decorative slipcase. Two volume catalogue from the exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of Art of 163 objects, the majority are products of the imperial kilns of Jingdezhen, held in 1987. Wonderfull illustrations, well documented. Condition very good. Texts in English and Chinese. Excerpt from the Preface by Christina Chu, Curator of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, July 1987 'The Hong Kong Museum of Art is proud to present an exhibition of pieces selected from the Tianminlou Collection of Chinese porcelain, a collection that has been assembled over the last four decades with meticulous care and discriminating taste. The exhibition features sixty-five pieces of blue and white, fifty-four pieces of polychrome and forty-four pieces of monochrome, totalling one hundred and sixty-tree objects dating from the 13th to the 18th century, they are the very best of Mr. Ko Shih Chao's acquisitions made in the last twenty years. A large majority of the pieces are products of the imperial kilns of Jingdezhen. They present a spectrum of techniques and styles, and tell the story to the constant striving by potters of Jingdezhen to refine the porcelain body, to master the intricacies of firing, and to invent new glazes from metals, a forth element provided by nature. It is an extraordinary chapter - and the climatic chapter - from the seven-thousand year saga of ceramics. Through the generosity of Mr. Ko Shih Chao the Tianminlou Collection has been put in public view. In addition to lending his collection for exhibition, Mr. Ko has also sponsored the publication of the catalogue that accompanies the exhibition. To the catalogue itself he has contributed many entries as well as one of the essays. The value of the catalogue has been enhanced by the essays contributed by Mr. John Ayers, Mr Julian Thompson and Mr Laurence Tam. It was Mr. Ko Shih Chao idea to include in the catalogue panoramic illustrations of a number of pieces so that the swept and subtlety of their designs can be fully appreciated. The catalogue is itself a visual delight thanks to the superb technique of the photographers: Mr Ogawa Tadahiro who did the panoramic photographs, Mr Wakisaka Susumu who took most of the colour transparencies for Volume I of the catalogue. '.
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Book number: 6764
€  775.00 [Appr.: US$ 893.23 | £UK 664.25 | JP¥ 130460]

 Backman, Michael:, Rare antique Asian and Colonial Decorative Arts: Michael Backman Ltd.
Backman, Michael:
Rare antique Asian and Colonial Decorative Arts: Michael Backman Ltd.
2016, (24,5 x 30 cm), 128 pp. English text, 100 colour ills., paperback. The decorative arts of South and Southeast Asia, and especially those of the 18th and 19th centuries, and trade items produced during the same period, constitute a much neglected area. Such items, which in a Europeanised context tend to be labelled objets de vertu, are under-represented in public and private collections. While the decorative arts of later Western Europe and North America might be strongly represented, when it comes to South and Southeast Asia, there is a bias towards the ancient, the religious and the sculptural. And yet the decorative arts of Asia of recent centuries is a more accessible and tangible field for many. The relative attractiveness of more recent Asian decorative arts, for which provenance issues need not be so acute, grows as the movement of archaeological and other early material across international borders becomes ever-more complex and problematic, be it for commercial or for exhibition purposes. The objects presented here - ranging from ornate handled daggers and exquisite silver filigree boxes to diamond studded jewels and magnificent embroidered silk - are all of exceptional quality and are often incredibly rare. A carved ivory pendant most probably made in China c.1600 for the European market is exceptionally rare and probably unique. The catalogue also includes a selection of items usually designated as 'tribal' art. Many of these have a decorative as much as a ritualistic component. Among the objects from Nigeria are a stunning 19th-century processional staff, topped with the figure of a queen, two museum-quality divination bowls carved by master craftsmen, and a striking and possibly unique five-headed dance costume. Most have been sourced from old UK and European collections, and most are likely to have been collected during the colonial era. This is important. Overwhelmingly, most 'tribal' art items available commercially today are reproduction pieces and have no place in serious collections.
Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.Professional seller
Book number: 6791
€  33.50 [Appr.: US$ 38.61 | £UK 28.75 | JP¥ 5639]

 Becker, Ton & Mies:, 101 Netsuke. Japanese toggles from the Treasure Farm / Japanse gordelknoop miniatures uit de Schattenstolp.
Becker, Ton & Mies:
101 Netsuke. Japanese toggles from the Treasure Farm / Japanse gordelknoop miniatures uit de Schattenstolp.
2012, (30,5 x 30,5 cm), 232 pp. Dutch / English text, 254 ills. in colour, hardcover. 101 Netsuke shows a remarkable collection of netsuke, acquired over the past 15 years by Ton and Mies Becker. The selected netsuke represent the top 101 masterpieces of an ever-growing private collection that has been formed by passion and knowledge gained over the years and purchased from internationally renowned netsuke dealers around the world. Artistic craftsmanship and overall beauty of the objects have been the key to each acquisition. Dit zeer fraaie nieuwe boek toont een opmerkelijke collectie van netsuke, verworven in de afgelopen 15 jaar door Ton en Mies Becker. De geselecteerde netsuke vormen de top 101 meesterwerken van de steeds groeiende prive-collectie, die is gevormd door passie en kennis die is opgedaan door de jaren heen en verworven via internationaal gerenommeerde netsuke dealers over de hele wereld. Artistiek vakmanschap en de algehele schoonheid van de objecten zijn de sleutel tot elke aankoop. Elke netsuke is gedetailleerd beschreven en uitmuntend afgebeeld.
Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.Professional seller
Book number: 5431
€  75.00 [Appr.: US$ 86.44 | £UK 64.5 | JP¥ 12625]

 Becker, Ton & Mies:, The Becker Collection: Twentieth century Japanese bronze flower vases. The Becker Collection.
Becker, Ton & Mies:
The Becker Collection: Twentieth century Japanese bronze flower vases. The Becker Collection.
2018, (March), (24 x 28 cm), 168 pp., English text, over 180 colour ills., hardcover. This book contains the private collection of twentieth century bronze flower vases compiled by Ton and Mies Becker, both retired medical specialists van collectors of Asian art. With the introduction of Buddhism in Japan in the sixth century, bronze containers for flowers to be placed on the altar became important religious objects. In the fifteenth century the Buddhist monk Senno Ikenobô founded the art of flower arranging, which started what nowadays is known as ikebana, the traditional Japanes way of floral art. Presently only the Ikenobô ikebana school still uses bronze flower vases, while all other ikebana schools use other materials like ceramics and bamboo. Following the Meije restauration (1868-1912) the Japanese art world was confronted with Western art styles, in particular the Art Deco movement. The twentieth century flower vases in this collection show a variety in shape and style, in part based on traditional Buddhist temple style vases and in part on the streamlined and geometrical style of the Art Deco movement, albeit often with a distinct 'Japanese touch'. A few introductory essays provide some background information about 'bronzes in Japanese culture', 'the patination of flower bronzes' and 'the tomobako (storage box)'. The catalogue of the vases is arranged according to the bronze worker and presented in alphabetical order in the traditional Japanese way, i.e. the family name first, followed by the given name. All vases are shown together with their tomobako -if available- and with their signature or seal. Brief biographical data are included once available.
Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.Professional seller
Book number: 7006
€  32.50 [Appr.: US$ 37.46 | £UK 28 | JP¥ 5471]

 Becker, Ton & Mies:, The Becker Collection: Blanc de Chine
Becker, Ton & Mies:
The Becker Collection: Blanc de Chine
09 2019, (24 x 28 cm), 120 pp., English text, over 90 colour ills., hardcover. This book contains the private collection of Blanc de Chine, monochrome porcelain from Dehua, collected by Ton and Mies Becker, both retired medical specialists and collectors of Asian Art. For many centuries the Chinese and Western elite adored the monochrome white porcelain wares made in Dehua, a district in the province of Fujian, bordering the south-easterly coast of China. The appeal being based on the combination of beautiful crafting and an aesthetic creamy glaze. It is this appeal which the authors experienced as an irresistible charm and the urge to start collecting this particular porcelain. A number of short essays has been included, not intended as an all-embracing academic account, but rather as introductory notes for those who develop an interest in collecting Blanc de Chine porcelain. These include considerations about the 'whiteness' of Blanc de Chine, the manufacture and main design categories of Blanc de Chine and the export to Europe. The catalogue of the collection is organised according to the main design categories and consists of photographs of each object, highlighting details if desired, a brief description of each item and explanatory notes to provide information about particular items that may need additional clarification, as well as the date of acquisition and provenance.
Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.Professional seller
Book number: 7426
€  29.50 [Appr.: US$ 34 | £UK 25.5 | JP¥ 4966]

 Becker, Ton & Mies:, The Becker Collection - Twentieth century modernisms in Balinese wood carvings
Becker, Ton & Mies:
The Becker Collection - Twentieth century modernisms in Balinese wood carvings
11 2020, (24 x 28 cm), 144 pp. English, over 90 colour ills., hardcover. This book contains the catalogue of the private collection of twentieth century 'modern style' Balinese wood carvings, collected by Ton and Mies Becker, both retired medical specialists and collectors of Asian art. Between the 8th and 10th century Hindu influences spread to Bali and blended into the exiting Balinese mix of animistic and Buddhist styles and subjects, known as Bali Aga. Hence, in due time the craftsmen obtained the subjects for their works from the Hindu-Balinese religion and their heroes and demons from famous Hindu epics. This particular style became known in the Western art world as the 'Traditional or Old Balinese style'. In the 20th century the arts and crafts scene in Bali changed completely. First because of Western artist who visited Bali and stayed on to work there and, second, because of the gradual influx of increasing numbers of foreign tourists. In addition the Dutch colonial government started a military campaign to control the powerful kingdoms of central and southern Bali. As a result the local craftsmen lost their royal support and soon realized that foreign tourists were not particularly interested in gods and heroes. Hence, stimulated by some of the Western artists who had settled in Bali, they turned to secular subjects taken from nature and everyday life and became more impressionistic in the execution. This led to a range of new styles, often impressionistic and sometimes even minimalistic and caricatural with bizarre elongated shapes or solid compact forms. In this book we are concerned with this particular type of 20th century 'Modern Style' Balinese wood carving. The catalogue contains 40 objects of 'modern style' wood carving, representing different styles. Each object is photographed, both as an overview and in details if so requested. A brief description of each object is provided, together with the estimated date, and additional information is provided if considered useful. The catalogue is preceded by an essay on the history of Balinese wood carving.
Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.Professional seller
Book number: 7734
€  32.50 [Appr.: US$ 37.46 | £UK 28 | JP¥ 5471]

 Becker, Ton & Mies:, The Becker Collection: Netsuke, tiny toggles tell fabulous stories.
Becker, Ton & Mies:
The Becker Collection: Netsuke, tiny toggles tell fabulous stories.
11 2022, ( x cm), 240 pp., English text, numerous colour ills., hardcover. This volume is the fourth in the series 'The Becker Collection' and contains our private collection of 216 netsuke and okimono netsuke-style, acquired over a period of approximately 50 years. The collection reflects our personal taste. The world of netsuke is fascinating, not only because of the excellent craftmanship and artistry, but also because of the fascinating stories that underly the choice of subjects by the carvers. The latter has been our main motive to collect these tiny toggles with their fabulous background stories. We have chosen to organize our catalogue based on the historical evolution of netsuke a part of the sagemono, in a society with a gradual uprise of welfare causing levelling of the ruling hierarchy. Hence, we recognize an early period, up to the late 18th century, a transitional period, late 18th / early 19th century, a middle period, 19th century up till the Meiji era, and a late period, Meiji and beyond, including contemporary netsuke and okimono netsuke-style. Each object has been photographed extensively together with signatures when present. A brief description of each object is provided, together with relevant background information about the subject matter. An essay 'Netsuke in historical perspective' accompanies the catalogue.
Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.Professional seller
Book number: 8208
€  39.50 [Appr.: US$ 45.53 | £UK 34 | JP¥ 6649]

 Berliner, Nancy & Mark C. Elliott,& Liu Chang & Bruce MacLaren & Henry Tzu Ng & Yuan Hongqi:, The Emperor's Private Paradise. Treasures from the Forbidden City.
Berliner, Nancy & Mark C. Elliott,& Liu Chang & Bruce MacLaren & Henry Tzu Ng & Yuan Hongqi:
The Emperor's Private Paradise. Treasures from the Forbidden City.
August 2010, (22,9 x 30,5 cm), 300 pp. English text, 120 colour and 40 b/w. ills., hardcover with dustwrappers. For centuries, China's Forbidden City has captured the world's imagination. Parts of the Forbidden City have been open to the public since 1925, and nearly 8 million tourists flock there annually. Yet the elegant, intimate Qianlong Garden - itself within a 'mini-Forbidden City' inside the Forbidden City - has remained sequestered from public view. Dating from the eighteenth century, the Qianlong Garden was built as a retirement retreat for its namesake emperor, a visionary patron of the arts who designed his garden to reflect a perfect union of art, architecture, and nature. Now undergoing restoration as a result of a groundbreaking international collaboration, it is intended to be fully open to visitors in 2019. Well in advance of this opening date, 'The Emperor's Private Paradise' gives an in-depth analysis of the garden - the most refined and elegant of imperial Chinese gardens, and containing some of the most extravagant imperial interiors still existing. This volume also interprets the many artworks commissioned for the garden by the emperor as expressions of ancient cultural values and new perspectives. Essays offering an overview of the history of Chinese gardens and the extraordinary reign of the Qianlong emperor complement and contextualize the importance of the Qianlong Garden and its artworks. This lavishly illustrated volume is published to accompany an unprecedented exhibition of ninety objects from the Qianlong Garden, many of them never seen before and including superlative examples of Qing murals, paintings, wall coverings, furniture, architectural elements, and jades. By illuminating this little-known yet architecturally significant area of the Forbidden City, this volume represents a major contribution to the fields of Chinese art, history, architecture, and gardens.
Scriptum Art Books v.o.f.Professional seller
Book number: 5557
€  59.95 [Appr.: US$ 69.1 | £UK 51.5 | JP¥ 10092]

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