In May 2020, the Compilation of Records on Chinese Artworks Handled by Yamanaka & Co. (referred to as the “Japan Volume”), edited by Dr. Jin Liyan （金立言 博士）and published by Shanghai Calligraphy and Painting Publishing House, sold out within less than half a year. This phenomenon demonstrates readers’ strong interest in the history of art circulation. Clear provenance records not only enhance the value of artworks but can even serve as crucial evidence in distinguishing authenticity.
In light of this, after more than three years of effort, Dr. Jin Liyan and the team at Liangqing Shuwu Studio（两庆书屋工作室）have released a sister volume titled Compilation of Records on Chinese Artworks Handled by Yamanaka & Co.’s Branches in Europe and America and the American Art Association (referred to as the “Europe and America Volume”).
This book fills an important gap in the field of Chinese art circulation history. The branches of Yamanaka & Co. in Europe and the U.S. handled a wide range of artifacts from various countries, with Chinese art being one of the main categories. Among these were a considerable number of former palace collections, faithfully reflecting how Chinese cultural relics entered the international market in the first half of the 20th century.
For example, the sale of the former collection of Imperial Prince Kung (1912) and the private collection of a Chinese nobleman of Tien-Tsin (1914) were particularly well-known auctions that helped establish the international market status of Chinese art. In the process of compiling these records, we discovered a dazzling array of exquisite cultural relics from various dynasties, many of which had already been acquired by major Western art museums at the time.
Additionally, the compilation includes a series of auction catalogs from the American Art Association (which was acquired by Sotheby’s in 1964). As discussed in the dedicated essays, the development of the American Art Association reflects the emergence and growth of the art auction industry in the United States. The association hosted countless events, including the notable special auction of the General Hwang Hsing’s collection (1916), which drew significant attention.
If the Japan Volume reflects the circulation of Chinese cultural relics in Japan, then the newly published Europe and America Volume offers an overview of Western interest in Chinese artifacts during the first half of the 20th century. The two volumes complement each other, together outlining a detailed picture of how Chinese cultural relics entered the international market during the late Qing and Republican periods.
Compilation of Records on Chinese Artworks Handled by Yamanaka & Co. (published in 2020) was supervised by Yamanaka Jō and compiled and translated by Jin Liyan. It collects over a dozen catalogues from exhibitions and sales of Chinese artworks held in Japan by Yamanaka & Co. in the early 20th century, providing a comprehensive reflection of the outflow of Chinese cultural relics during that time.
The publication consists of one case containing four volumes and includes all catalogues of Chinese artworks issued in Japan by Yamanaka & Co. prior to World War II. It records over 6,000 entries of precious artworks, including bronzes, paintings and calligraphy, stone sculptures, ceramics, furniture, and scholar’s objects, along with more than 1,100 related images of the artifacts.
The fourth volume also features two commemorative photo albums of which only 50 copies were printed at the time and which are now extremely rare. Nearly 100 vintage photographs show exhibition scenes not included in the catalogues themselves, many of which feature important and iconic pieces, making them valuable historical materials.
Dr. Jin Liyan （金立言 博士）studied in Japan in 1996 and obtained a Ph.D. in Art History from Keio University in 2005. From 2005 to 2006, he served as a ceramics specialist at Christie’s Hong Kong, and from 2007 to 2014, he was the Senior Business Manager in the Ceramics Department of China Guardian International Auction Co., Ltd. During this period, he was responsible for the research, authentication, and auction of Ming and Qing imperial porcelain and Yixing Zisha pottery, earning high recognition from collectors and researchers worldwide.
To date, Dr. Jin Liyan has published numerous research papers on ceramics and has independently authored and co-edited several professional books in the field. He has been invited to give lectures in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Europe.
Currently, he serves as an academic advisor for Jiaqu Yaji Society, Johan’s Auction, and Sungari International Auction Co., Ltd. in Mainland China. Additionally, he is a guest professor at multiple Chinese universities and a standing director of the Jingdezhen Oriental Ancient Ceramics Research Association.
Liangqing Shuwu Studio (两庆书屋工作室) is a professional institution specializing in the research of ancient Chinese and Asian ceramics. It was founded under the leadership of renowned ceramic expert and independent scholar Dr. Jin Liyan.