A Global History of Collecting
In Celebration of the Oriental Ceramic Society Centenary in 2021
Online Specialist Art Course
22 January – 12 March 2021
Eight weekly online lectures. Every Friday
12:30 UK (GMT) / 20:30 China (CST)
Chenghua mark and period (1465-1487) porcelain ‘chicken cup’, decorated in doucai style, from the Percival David Collection. © The Trustees of the British Museum
Chinese ceramics have long been appreciated by collectors across vast geographical regions. These eight weekly online lectures explore the rich and diverse history of collecting Chinese ceramics, from the Tang dynasty to the present day. Leading scholars, art market professionals and museum curators from the National Palace Museum in Taipei, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Freer and Sackler Galleries in Washington DC will offer a unique range of insights into how Chinese ceramics have been collected, traded and displayed over the centuries, examining the imperial tastes of Emperors Huizong (r. 1100-1126) and Qianlong (r. 1736-1795), collecting fashions pioneered by founders of the Oriental Ceramic Society, and the legacies of international dealers and tastemakers like C. T. Loo (1880-1957) and Edward T. Chow (1910-1980). Students will not only learn about Chinese ceramic production, but also gain better understanding of the networks that connect global collecting, scholarship and the art market. Networks from Kaifeng, to London, to Washington DC, to Hong Kong and Beijing that continue to shape our understanding of Chinese ceramics today.
Lectures in English, with Chinese captions provided in lecture slides. Simultaneous interpretation available for Chinese-speakers during Q&A sessions.
