Rare Himalayan masterpieces lead Asia Week at Bonhams

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14th Century, 15th century, Chakrasamvara, circa 1557, Early 15th century, gilt-copper alloy figure, Ngor monastery, portrait thangka of the Ninth and Tenth abbots of Ngor monastery, Shakyamuni, Southern Tibet, thangka, Tibet, Tibeto-Chinese, Vajrabhairava shrine, West Tibet, Yongle Period

A lineage portrait thangka of the Ninth and Tenth abbots of Ngor monastery, Southern Tibet, Ngor monastery, circa 1557. Distemper on cloth/ Image: 33 3/4 x 30 3/4 in. (85.7 x 76.3 cm); With later silks: 51 x 32 1/2 in. (129.5 x 82.6 cm). Estimate: $800,000-1,200,000 (€700,000 – 1.1 million). Photo: Bonhams.

NEW YORK, NY.- Himalayan masterpieces from the 14th to 16th century will lead Bonhams’ Indian, Himalayan & Southeast Asian Art auction on March 16.

The star lot is a magnificent lineage portrait thangka of the Ninth and Tenth Abbots from Ngor monastery from a distinguished private European collection. New to the market, it is estimated at between $800,000 and $1,200,000. The thangka, made circa 1557, is an extremely rare example of 16th century painting from Central Tibet. The distemper-on-cloth work is boldly colored using a primary palette with heavy gold outlining and presents the central figures seated next to each other. The composition is framed by the abbots of the Ngor order and is inscribed at the bottom, commemorating the ascendancy of the Eleventh abbot. Unlike other portrait thangkas, this one has a deeper, secondary purpose; the positioning of the three deities directly above the two abbots suggest that it was made to help initiate the viewer into the esoteric teachings of the central deity, Rakta Yamari. Whereas most Ngor portraits were part of sets, this suggests that the Bonhams’ double portrait was a special commission.

A gilt copper alloy figure of Chakrasamvara, Tibet, 15th century, 9 in. (22.8 cm) high. Estimate: $500,000 – 700,000 (€440,000 – 620,000). Photo: Bonhams.

An outstanding gilt copper alloy figure of the prominent composite deity, Chakrasamvara, expected to fetch between $500,000 and $700,000, comes from the same private European collection. The masterpiece depicts the eponymous twelve-armed male deity and the female deity, Vajravarahi, locked in a passionate embrace. He embodies compassion and she wisdom. The union of these two qualities presents the most important transcendental ideal expressed in Buddhist art, supreme enlightenment. The sculpture is expertly detailed and both figures are beautifully gilded and embellished with jewelry.

A large thangka of Shakyamuni, West Tibet, 14th century; 82 1/2 x 41 in. (209.5 x 104.1 cm). Estimate: $300,000 – 500,000 (€260,000 – 440,000). Photo: Bonhams.

A large thangka of Shakyamuni, from Western Tibet and dated 14th century, is another important lot (est. $300,000 – 500,000). Measuring 82.5 by 41 inches, the thangka is one of the largest surviving Tibetan paintings from any period. Tibetan Buddhists regard Shakyamuni as the single greatest authority on the Buddhist teachings. This thangka depicts Buddha on a throne in the act of teaching and flanked by his two of his closest disciples, Shariputra and Maudgalyayana.

A gilt copper alloy deity from a Vajrabhairava shrine, Tibeto-Chinese, Yongle period, early 15th century; 10 7/8 in. (27.5 cm) high; 13 3/4 in. (35.2cm) wide. Estimate: $250,000 – 350,000 (€220,000 – 310,000). Photo: Bonhams.

Another standout lot, a Yongle-period gilt copper alloy deity from a Vajrabhairava shrine, comes from a private English collection and is estimated at $250,000 – 350,000. It is an early 15th-century depiction of Surya (the Sun god) that belongs to a set of eight Hindu deities, which would have occupied the front edge of a throne for a monumental sculpture of Vajrabhairava. Out of this group of eight, five others have either sold at auction or are in museum collections, making this sculpture extremely desirable. The deity is large, depicted in a powerful and unique pose. He wears an expression of fierce attention. The rich gilding, exquisite modeling and jewelry arrangement are typical of renowned Buddhist sculpture of the Yongle-period.

Edward Wilkinson, Consultant at the Indian, Himalayan & South East Asian department at Bonhams said, “At the core of this auction are a group of extremely important masterpieces of Himalayan painting and sculpture that are fresh to the market. Supported by a diverse and rare group of works from across the South Asian region, the sale taps into a particularly buoyant market. Buddhist art in particular is enjoying broad international appeal and the market for this genre has risen dramatically over the past five years.”

The auction will begin at 4pm.

Marcel Nies Oriental Art at TEFAF 2015 Antiques (13-22 March 2015)

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12th-13th century, 15th century, Chlorite, India, Malla kingdoms, Marcel Nies Oriental Art, Nepal, Orissa, Sitatara, TEFAF 2015 Antiques, Varaha

Varaha. Chlorite. Height 58.5 cm. India, Orissa, 12th-13th century. Marcel Nies Oriental Art (stand 146) – TEFAF 2015 Antiques (13-22 March 2015)

Art Loss Register Certificate, Reference S00091421

Provenance: Collection Philip Goldman, before 1969; Collection F. Goulandris, Greece-London, 1969-1989; Spink and Son, Ltd, London, 1989; Private collection, USA, 1989-2002; Collection Mr. G. Katz and W. Huyck, USA, 2002-2004; Private collection, Portugal, 2004-2012

Exhibitions: On loan to The Art Institute of Chicago, 1980-1985

Sitatara. Wood, traces of polychrome. Height 132 cm. Nepal, Malla kingdoms, 15th century. Marcel Nies Oriental Art (stand 146) – TEFAF 2015 Antiques (13-22 March 2015)

Art Loss Register Certificate, Reference S00070905

Provenance: Private collection, Scandinavia, before 1989; Christie’s, London, 11 April 1989, lot 187; Collection Mr. Miog, The Netherlands 1989-1991; Galerie De Ruimte, Eersel, The Netherlands, 1991; Private collection, USA, 1991-2014

Literature: G. Beguin and G. Toffin, L’Art Néwar de la Vallée de Kathmandu, Paris, 1989, frontcover, pl.82

Exhibitions: Paris, L’Art Néwar de la Vallée de Kathmandu, 1989

Marcel Nies Oriental Art. Directors: Eva Puelinckx, Marcel Nies. Lange Gasthuisstraat, 28 – 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium. T  +32 3 226 74 55 – M   +32 475 65 10 854

When it comes to Asian Art, Marcel Nies is an international authority, in fact that is almost an understatement for someone who’s been taking part in TEFAF for a quarter of a century, who’s invited to sit on numerous vetting committees, and who has supplied objects to some of the worlds major museums. His considerable knowledge is based on a long experience, being specialized in Oriental Art since 1972. The gallery houses one of world’s largest archives in the field of Southeast Asian Art. The collection exhibited in the gallery of Marcel Nies includes sculptures, paintings, and ritual objects from India, the Himalaya mountains, and Southeast Asia. Obtained only from the finest quality works of art, his selection is based on originality, rarity, condition, and the highest level of artistic taste. All of the items have extensive written documentation and full guarantees of authenticity.

‘Collecting Paradise: Buddhist Art of Kashmir and its Legacies’ at the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art

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11th century, 15th century, 8th century, 8th or 9th century, Akshobhya, Crowned Buddha Shakyamuni, Female Attendant, Gilgit, Himalayas, Kashmir, Kashmir or northern Pakistan, Maryul district, Power of Faith, Shatasahasrika Prajnaparamita, Thangka of Four-Armed Mahakala, Tholing Monastery, Western Tibet

A Pair of Female Attendants. Kashmir; 8th century. Ivory. Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund, 1972.35.1 and 1972.35.2. Courtesy of the Block Museum of Art

EVANSTON, ILL.– What is the impact when one culture acquires the sacred objects of another? The Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University is putting that question under the microscope this winter with the exhibition “Collecting Paradise: Buddhist Art of Kashmir and Its Legacies.”

Free and open to the public from Jan. 13 through April 19, 2015, this Main Gallery exhibition takes a penetrating look at how Buddhist art from Kashmir and the Western Himalayas has traveled across centuries and borders — first within the region and later to the U.S. and Europe — raising questions about cultural impact and the varying motivations behind modes of collecting.

“Collecting Paradise” features Buddhist objects, including manuscripts, paintings, and sculptures in ivory, metal and wood, dating from the 7th to 17th centuries. With 44 objects, the exhibition presents an original and innovative look at art from the region of Kashmir and the Western Himalayas, as well as how it has been “collected” over time.

The exhibition was curated by a leading scholar in the field, Robert Linrothe, associate professor of art history in Northwestern’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, with the support of Christian Luczanits, the David L. Snellgrove Senior Lecturer in Tibetan and Buddhist Art at The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London.

Akshobhya, Kashmir region, probably Gilgit, 8th or 9th century, copper alloy with copper, silver, and niello inlays and traces of polychromy, Approx. 11.5 x 6 x 4 in., Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Arthur and Margaret Glasgow Fund, 86.120. Courtesy of the Block Museum of Art

“‘Collecting Paradise’ is the most ambitious exhibition in the Block’s history, and we are very grateful to the National Endowment for the Arts for recognizing its significance,” said Lisa Corrin, the Ellen Philips Katz Director of the Block Museum. “As part of our new global initiative, this exhibition brings together works of Asian art that are true masterpieces — among the most important of their kind in the U.S.”

“Professor Linrothe is one of the few experts in art of this region teaching in the U.S. today. He has spent decades traveling to remote locations to study historic sites and form relationships with local experts. This direct experience of the art of Kashmir and the Western Himalayas ‘in situ’ has contributed to his innovative and thought-provoking thesis on the migration of culture,” Corrin added.

A companion exhibition, “Collecting Culture: Himalaya through the Lens,” Jan. 13 through April 12, in the Alsdorf Gallery, further examines the impact of centuries of collecting in the region. Co-curated by Kathleen Bickford Berzock, the Block’s associate director of curatorial affairs, and Robert Linrothe, “Collecting Culture” looks critically at U.S. and European engagement in the Himalayas beginning in the mid-19th century, through lenses including photography, cartography, natural science and ethnography. It reflects on the ways Westerners have perceived, defined and acquired the Himalayas, raising questions about what is gained and what is lost when objects are removed from their intended cultural context.

“Collecting Culture” presents the expeditions of four individuals from the late 1920s through the 1940s — Italian scholar Giuseppe Tucci; American zoologist Walter Koelz, who worked with Thakur Rup Chand, his Indian partner and guide; and Northwestern University professor William McGovern.

Power of Faith, Folio from a Shatasahasrika Prajnaparamita (The Perfection of Wisdom in 100,000 Verses) Western Tibet, Maryul district, Tholing Monastery, Himalayas. 11th century; painting on paper; watercolor, ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, from the Nasli and Alice Heeramaneck Collection, purchased with funds provided by the Jane and Justin Dart Foundation. Courtesy of the Block Museum of Art

Eleven of Tucci’s, Koelz’s and Rup Chand’s acquisitions are included in “Collecting Paradise.” This enables museum visitors to consider the motivations and actions of these individuals, as well as contemplate the impact of transferring consecrated objects from religious shrines to museums, where they are presented for their aesthetic value.

“With these exhibitions, we are raising questions that a university museum is uniquely capable of addressing — specifically, the complex issues surrounding the origins of an object and how its meaning can shift with context. Through a dynamic schedule of free public programs this winter, we will present audiences with unique opportunities to consider and examine these questions,” Corrin said.

“Collecting Paradise” brings together works from The Art Institute of Chicago, the Asia Society (New York City), the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Rubin Museum of Art (New York City), the Saint Louis Art Museum, the University of Michigan Museum of Anthropological Archaeology, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and four private collections.

The exhibition is accompanied by an illustrated, color catalogue that shares new research and perspectives that have developed during the formation of the exhibition. After its premiere at the Block, “Collecting Paradise” will travel to the Rubin Museum of Art, the foremost museum of Himalayan art in the U.S.

Crowned Buddha Shakyamuni, Kashmir or northern Pakistan; 8th century. Brass with inlays of copper, silver, and zinc. Asia Society, Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd. Collection of Asian Art. Courtesy of the Block Museum of Art

THE INTRICATE HISTORY OF ART AND CULTURE IN KASHMIR AND THE WESTERN HIMALAYAS
From the 7th to 11th centuries, Kashmir — a lush valley connected to the Silk Road — was a wealthy center of transcultural trade, culture and religion. Beginning in the 10th century, Buddhists in the Western Himalayas traveled to Kashmir to acquire, preserve and emulate its sophisticated art.

Kashmiri artists also accepted invitations to travel to the Western Himalayas during this period to work with and teach local artists. The distinctive workmanship of the “Kashmiri style” became integrated into the identity of Tibetan Buddhism in this period and experienced a revival in the Western Himalayas in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Centuries later, beginning in the 1900s, artworks from Kashmir and the Western Himalayas became prized acquisitions for collections in the U.S. and Europe. Western explorers, scholars and travelers removed these works — often surreptitiously — from their places of origin. Today many of these works reside in public and private collections.

Thangka of Four-Armed Mahakala, Western Tibet, Tholing Monastery (?); 15th century. Pigments on cotton; Solomon Family Collection. Courtesy of the Block Museum of Art

‘Ink and Gold: Art of the Kano’ at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

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1550, 15th century, 16th Century, Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons, Bishamonten Pursuing an Oni, c. 1885, Figures under a Pine Tree, Hashimoto Gahō, Kano Hōgai, Kano Masanobu, Kano Tan’yū, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Tigers in a Bamboo Grove, Two Dragons, Zhou Maoshu Admiring Lotuses

Zhou Maoshu Admiring Lotuses, 15th century. Kano Masanobu, Japanese, 1434–1530. Ink and color on paper, hanging scroll, 33 1/4 × 13 inches. Kyushu National Museum, Dazaifu. National Treasure. Rotation 1 (2/12–3/15)

The Philadelphia Museum of Art will present the frst major exhibition outside Japan to be
dedicated to the Kano painters, the most enduring and infuential school of Japanese painting. Established in the 15th century, the Kano created and upheld standards of artistic excellence in Japan for nearly four hundred years. It developed against the backdrop of one of the greatest periods in Japanese history. Ink and Gold: Art of the Kano will focus on the artistic dynasty’s leading fgures and will be drawn largely from Japanese imperial, national, and private collections, including those of such celebrated cultural landmarks as Nijō-jō and Nagoya castles. The exhibition will feature rare and magnifcent works—many distinguished by their stunning use of gold leaf—that are considered treasures in  Japan for their high cultural importance and rarity. The exhibition will be seen only in Philadelphia.

Birds and Flowers of the Four Seasons, 1550. Kano Motonobu, Japanese, 1477–1559. Ink, color, and gold leaf on paper, one of a pair of six fold screens, each screen 63 15/16 × 141 13/16 inches. Hakutsuru Fine Art Museum, Kobe. Important Cultural Property. Rotation 3 (4/14–5/10)

The Kano School was signifcant both for its longevity and for the achievements of some its most illustrious members, such as its founder, Kano Masanobu (1434–1530), and Kano Tan’yū (1602–1674). It also became an academy, with rigorous training in workshops that fostered the development and preservation of painting traditions. The Kano School arose and then prospered under unique circumstances, frst in Kyoto and then in Edo (present-day Tokyo), with the patronage of Japan’s military and political elite. With the waning of their power and the opening of Japan to cultural infuences from abroad in the late nineteenth century, the preeminent role of the Kano School in Japanese art came to an end.

Timothy Rub, the George D. Widener Director and CEO, stated: “Ink and Gold is a much
anticipated milestone, both for this Museum and for the study of a signifcant chapter in the history of Japanese art. This is the most important exhibition of Japanese art that Americans will see in a very long time, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience some of Japan’s greatest artistic achievements. The exhibition will be a revelation and a delight to our visitors.”

Figures under a Pine Tree, 16th century. Kano Masanobu, Japanese, 1434–1530. Ink and gold leaf on paper, folding fan, 7 1/2 × 18 11/16 inches. Tokyo National Museum. Rotation 1 (2/12–3/15)

The last exhibition to be devoted to the entire history of the Kano School was seen in 1979 in Tokyo. In Philadelphia, due to their light sensitivity, the works in Ink and Gold will be presented in three rotations, offering multiple opportunities to experience the full depth, scope, and variety of the Kano painters’ remarkable achievements.

Included are works spanning the entire history of the School. The story begins with the
exceptionally rare paintings of Masanobu, who specialized in ink landscapes distinctive for their craggy hills and distant vistas inspired by China, which deeply informed Japanese culture. Among these is a National Treasure, a hanging scroll depicting a famous scholar admiring lotuses in a mist-flled scene. Sets of folding fans made for privileged women or visiting emissaries are also on view. Panoramas of farming across the seasons abound in the exhibition, refecting an enduring theme based on Confucian ideas that prosperous agriculture results from good government.

Tigers in a Bamboo Grove (detail), mid‑1630s. Kano Tan’yū, Japanese, 1602–1674. Ink, color, and gold leaf on paper, set of four‑panel sliding doors, each door 72 13/16 × 55 1/2 inches. Nanzen-ji Temple, Sakyō-ku, Japan. Important Cultural Property. Rotation 3 (4/14–5/10)

Among the highlights of the exhibition are works by Tan’yū. A contemporary of Rembrandt van Rijn, he is among the most admired of all Japanese artists, and was the frst Kano painter ordered by the military to open a studio in Edo. His work refects a striking range of accomplishments. His ink landscapes and scenes of waves breaking in vast seas are rendered with a virtuoso brush. Traveling between Kyoto and Edo (now Tokyo), Tan’yū frequently passed Mount Fuji. He was the frst to paint it in a horizontal hanging scroll format, establishing the now familiar convention through which the mountain became a national symbol for the country.

Many of the most dazzling works in the exhibition are those created for public display, especially the large-scale folding screens and sliding doors designed for the residences of Japan’s elite in the 16th and 17th centuries, with oversized fgures and landscapes. These include Tan’yū’s Eagle and Pine Tree (Nijō-jō Castle), Wasteful Payment for an Observation Tower (Nagoya Castle), and scenes of tigers prowling amid bamboo and images from The Tale of Genji.

Bishamonten Pursuing an Oni, c. 1885. Hashimoto Gahō, Japanese, 1835–1908. Ink and color on paper; mounted as a hanging scroll, 49 1/2 × 24 3/4 inches. Philadelphia Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Moncure Biddle in memory of her father, Ernest F. Fenollosa, 1941-107-15. Rotations 1, 2, and 3 (2/12–5/10)

While Tan’yū served the elites of both Kyoto and Edo, artists such as Eigaku (1790–1867) remained close to the culture of Kyoto, rendering courtly subjects on folding screens celebrating music, dance, and poetry, and exulting in nature with paintings of trees and exotic birds. Other Kano artists were also closely associated with Edo. Seisen’in Osanobu (1796–1846) created an elaborate decorative scheme for Edo Castle and other images ranging from Mount Fuji to falconry. His work for the castle was ultimately destroyed by fre, but it is represented in the exhibition through rare surviving sketches.

Dr. Felice Fischer, the Museum’s Luther W. Brady Curator of Japanese Art and Senior Curator of East Asian Art, stated: “Our fascination with the Kano actually began with artists represented in our own collection who were active in the fnal years of this remarkable dynasty. We wanted to explore their roots. We had done exhibitions that looked at the rebels and the renegades. As we now turn our attention to the academy, I am sure it will open people’s eyes.”

Two Dragons [in Clouds], 1885. Kano Hōgai, Japanese, 1828–1888. Ink on paper, framed, 35 1/2 x 53 1/4 inches. Philadelphia Museum of Art, Gift of Mrs. Moncure Biddle in memory of her father, Ernest F. Fenollosa, 1940-41-1. Rotations 1, 2, and 3 (2/12–5/10)

The exhibition is organized by the Philadelphia Museum of Art and co-organized by the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan with the special co-operation of the Tokyo National Museum.

Blue-and-white meiping, or plum blossom vase, Ming dynasty, 15th century

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15th century, Blue-and-White, Jingdezhen kilns, meiping, Ming Dynasty, plum blossom vase

Blue-and-white meiping, or plum blossom vase, Ming dynasty, 15th century. Jingdezhen kilns, porcelain, with underglaze painting in cobalt-blue; 31.5 cm (height), 17 cm (diameter), at foot 10.3 cm (diameter). Bequeathed by J. Francis Mallett, 1947. Accession no. EAX.1398. Ashmolean Museum © Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford

Coomi ring with antique bronze Buddha head dating from the 15th century

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15th century, Bronze, Buddha head, Coomi

Coomi ring in gold with rose-cut diamonds, set with an antique bronze Buddha head dating from the 15th century.

A pale green jade stem bowl, 15th century

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15th century, pale green jade, stem bowl

A pale green jade stem bowl, 15th century. Sold for HK$ 562,500 (€59,029). Photo Bonhams.

Simply and skilfully carved with gently flaring sides and everted lip, standing on a tall, slightly-spreading hollow stem, the stone of a subtle pale green tone with delicate striations, wood stand. 13.3cm (5 1/4in) diam. (2).

Provenance: Somerset de Chair (1911-1995)

Fine jade vessels such as the present lot were some of the most prized objects collected in the Ming and later periods. Texts, archaeological evidence and sumptuary laws make clear that jade vessels were considered far more precious than gold or other precious metals: Craig Clunas points out that in the sixteenth year of Zhengde (1521), it was decreed that even officials of the first and second ranks were not allowed jade vessels, but only ones of gold: see ‘Regulation of Consumption and the Institution of Correct Morality by the Ming State’, Sinica Leidensia, vol.XXVII, 1993, pp.39-49.

The present bowl is particularly pleasing in its proportions, with a wide, welcoming brim, generously rounded body and elegant foot. In form it recalls the elegant porcelain stem cups of the Yongle and Xuande periods: see for example the anhua decorated tianbai-glazed stem cup, Yongle mark and period, illustrated by J.Harrison-Hall, Ming Ceramics in the British Museum, London, 2001, no.3:1 or the anhua stem cup with underglaze red fruit decoration, Xuande period, ibid., no.4:7.

A stem bowl of similar proportions and jade tone, dated to the early Ming dynasty, from the collection of Gerald Godfrey was included in the exhibition Chinese Jade: The Image from Within, Pacific Asia Museum, 1986, Catalogue, no.75, where it was noted that the particular colour of the jade was known as ‘ox-hair’, presumably referring to the attractive darker hair-like lines running through the stone.

A darker green stem bowl of narrower brim is illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 7: Ming Dynasty, Beijing, 2010, no.213, and another described as ‘greenish-grey’ jade from the collection of Captain Dugald Malcolm was included in the Oriental Ceramic Society exhibition Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1975, no.344. See also a related stem cup i

Bonhams. IMPORTANT JADE CARVINGS FROM THE SOMERSET DE CHAIR COLLECTION, 27 Nov 2014 14:00 HKT – HONG KONG, ADMIRALTY

‘The Secret of Dresden: From Rembrandt to Canaletto’ at the Groninger Museum

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12th-13th century, 14th Century, 15th century, Bernardo Bellotto, Canaletto, Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velásquez, Dresden, Groninger Museum, Pietro Antonio Graf Rotari, Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn, Titian, Tiziano Vecellio

Pietro Antonio Graf Rotari, Man with fur hat, 1755, oil painting, 35 x 43,5 cm, Dresdener Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister.

GRONINGEN.- The collections in Dresden form one of the best-kept secrets of European art. At the time, the art compilations amassed by Prince-Electors of Saxony in the eighteenth century belonged to the most beautiful and renowned collections in Europe. The Secret of Dresden – From Rembrandt to Canaletto displays a selection from the impressive collection of paintings that nowadays constitute the core of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden. There are masterpieces such as the Rembrandt’s Abduction of Ganymede (1635), as well as works by painters who were once considered to be masters but have now been (almost) forgotten. Together they tell the story of the florescence of the court of Saxony in the eighteenth century.

Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn, Ganymede in the Claws of the Eagle, 1635, Oil on canvas, 177 x 129 cm, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.

Saxony was already one of the most prosperous German states when Prince-Elector August the Strong managed to acquire the kingship of Poland in 1697. He underlined his new status among the royal courts of Europe by starting up ambitious building projects and initiating an impressive art collection that could rival those of the major royal collections of that period. After his death, his collecting activities were continued by his son August III until deep into the eighteenth century. The cultural wealth of Dresden was so notable that the city was referred to as ‘Florence on the Elbe’. The general public was increasingly granted access to the collection of paintings, so that one of the first public museums in the world eventually arose. Goethe, who often visited the Gemäldegalerie, regarded it as a true sanctuary of art.

Bernardo Bellotto, called Canaletto, Dresden from the Right Bank of the Elbe above the Augustus Bridge, 1747, Oil on canvas, 132 x 236 cm, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.

As a consequence of renovation, a part of the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister has now become temporarily available for display elsewhere. In a number of thematic chapters, ‘The Secret of Dresden’ tells of the important role of art in eighteenth-century Saxony. On show are mythological paintings by Rembrandt and Canaletto, portraits by Titian and Velazquez, views of Venice by Canaletto, and landscapes by Philips Wouwerman and Claude Lorrain.

Titian (Tiziano Vecellio), Portrait of a lady in white, oil painting, 102 x 86 cm, Dresdener Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister.

Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velásquez, Portrait of a Knight of the Order of Santiago, circa 1635, Oil on canvas, 67.3 x 56 cm, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.

Bernardo Bellotto, called Canaletto, The Ruins of the Old Kreuzkirche in Dresden, 1765, Oil on canvas, 80 x 110 cm, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden.

In addition to Groningen, this exhibition will also be on display in Munich and Vienna. An extensive German catalogue will accompany the exhibition, supplemented by a more concise Dutch-language version.

An exhibition organized by the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden in conjunction with the Groninger Museum.

13 December – 25 May, 10am – 5pm

Dutch Queen Maxima and Groninger Museum director Andreas Bluhm look at the painting « Dresden from the right bank of the Elde » by painter Bernardo Bellotto during the official opening of the exhibition ‘The secret of Dresden’ in Groningen, on December 12, 2014. AFP PHOTO / ANP / VINCENT JANNINK.

Dutch Queen Maxima looks at ta painting during the official opening of the exhibition ‘The secret of Dresden’ at the Groninger Museum in Groningen, on December 12, 2014. AFP PHOTO / ANP / VINCENT JANNINK

Very rare stemcup, winter green glaze and anhua decor, 15th century

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15th century, anhua decor, stemcup, winter green glaze

Very rare stemcup, winter green glaze and anhua decor, 15th century. Estimate: € 60,000 – € 80,000. Photo Kunsthaus Lempertz

On a high, slightly flared foot domed bowl with flaring rim, decorated on the inside dome in anhua technique with four Tibetan Lanca-characters in a framed with flames medallion that arise from clouds or tendrils, between lotus flowers in tendrils, all covered with so-called evergreen glaze, which is thinner towards the edges. Small chip on the base ring ground down. H 10 cm, D 14.5 cm

Provenance: Collection Annelotte Elbrecht (1924-2013)

Literature: Cf .: Xizang Bowuguan cang Ming Qing Ciqi Jingpin / Ming and Qing Dynasties Ceramics Preserved in Tibet Museum, Beijing 2004, pl. 26; . Geng Baochang, ed Gugong Bowuyuan cang gu Taoci ziliao xuancui (Selection of ancient ceramic material from the Palace Museum) Beijing 2005 Vol 1 Plate 88..; a similar dish with a raised ring around the shaft is displayed in: The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong in 1999, pl. 124

Kunsthaus Lempertz. Auction 1044, Asian Art, 05.12.2014, 10:00, Cologne

A slender Longquan celadon vase, Early Ming Dynasty, 15th century

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15th century, Early Ming dynasty, Longquan celadon, slender vase

A slender Longquan celadon vase, Early Ming Dynasty, 15th century. Estimated price €5.000 – €6.000 – Kunsthaus Lempertz

A slender Longquan celadon vase, decorated in two shaped panels with a moulded peony spray reserved from a carved diamond pattern ground, the grey stoneware body burned reddish during firing. Height 33.3 cm

Provenance: Acquired from Galerie Groß, Wiesbaden, 1984
Collection Annelotte Elbrecht (1924-2013)

Literature: Compare: Chinese Celadons and Other Related Wares in Southeast Asia, exhib. cat. National Museum, Singapore, 1979, ill. 196
Compare: Eva Ströber, Ming Porcelain for a Globalised Trade, Stuttgart 2013, fig. 69

Kunsthaus Lempertz. Auction 1044, Asian Art, 05.12.2014, 10:00, Cologne