CHINESE ART

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 153, 25 March 1937, Page 15

CHINESE ART

Remarkable Collection at Dominion Museum

The most remarkable, as it is the most varied, collection of Chinese art ever to have been exhibited in the southern hemisphere is to be seen at Hie Dominion Museum, Wellington. The credit for bringing to New Zealand this collection belongs to Captain G. Humphreys-Davies, honorary curator of the Oriental collection at the ■War Memorial Museum at. Auckland, who visited England early in 1936 and conceived the idea of borrowing objects of Chinese art of the highest quality for exhibition in New Zealand. The result of his initiative is to be seen in the large collection which occupies considerable space on Hie ground floor of the Dominion Museum. If it is possible to give a price to objects of art that are priceless, in that, once destroyed they can never be ‘be replaced, the value of the collection is not less than £BO,OOO. Captain Humphreys-Davies has enlisted the support of Queen Mary, the Lady Patricia Ramsay, Mrs. C. L. Rutiierston, Mrs. Christopher Powell, Lord Bledisloe, Messrs. C. J. Aron, Dennis Howarth, Oswald HughesJones and the Victoria and Albert Museum in his enterprise. Others who have lent exhibits from their collection are Mr. George Eumorfopoulos and Mr. Oscar Raphael. The cost and responsibility for exhibiting and looking after such a collection is heavy, and Captain Hum-phreys-Davies expressed his gratitude that the trustees of the Dominion Museum should have decided to contribute £5O toward the cost of the exhibition. Practically every dynasty of China from 1200 B.C. is represented in the collection, and visitors will see marvellous examples of Chinese jade work, bronze work, porcelain, paintings, writing, engraving and tapestry. One is left in wonderment at the delicacy, intricacy and variety of work done many centuries ago, work seemingly incomparably beyond what can be done today even with the modern improved appliances. The objects are enclosed in glass eases and so arranged that they can be examined from all angles. All the objects' are numbered, the numbers corresponding with those in a catalogue which in comprehensiveness is far and above the scope of catalogues that are usually produced for art collections. The catalogue itself is worthy to be kept as a permanent, record for, besides its description, it is profusely illustrated with beautiful photographs. For almost everything artistic that the Chinese did there is a reason, so that visitors who take the trouble to find out will learn a great deal about ancient Chinese life, habits and customs.