這件銀製的走虎，動感與姿態與漢代的避邪、天祿類似，克里夫蘭博物館的收藏可以追溯到1940年代；卡爾·坎普博士（Dr. Carl Kempe）的走虎被標為銅鎏金製，傳承紀錄十分清晰，最早可以追溯到1935年以前，來自巴黎Theodore Cultry的收藏。
至於年代，克里夫蘭博物館定位漢代至六朝；卡爾·坎普博士定為六朝或以前。這類作品的存世量十分罕見，這對銅、銀虎或為存世唯一一對。其造型與瓊肯三世（Stepehen Junkunc III）的六朝走龍十分接近，整體的結構又能看出漢代避邪的影子。
This silver tiger, currently in Cleveland Museum of Art collection, is similar in movement and gesture to the Han dynasty Chimera (Bixie) and Tianlu, provenance traces back to the 1940s; Dr Carl Kempe's walking tiger is labelled as gilt-bronze, with a very clear track record, dating from before 1935 in the collection of Theodore Cultry in Paris.
In terms of dating, the Cleveland Museum of Art places it in the Han Dynasty to the Sixth Dynasty; Dr Carl Kemp places it in the Sixth Dynasty or earlier. Such works are rare, and this pair of bronze and silver tigers may be the only ones in existence. The form is very close to that of the Sixth Dynasty dragons by Stepehen Junkunc III, and the overall construction is suggestive of a Han Dynasty evil-avoidance device.
Carl Kempe and Matts Carlgren
克里夫蘭銀虎
Walking Tiger, Cleveland Museum of Art
206 BCE–220 CE
China, Han dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE) to Six Dynasties
(265–587 CE)
silver
Severance and Greta Millikin Collection 1964.233
Provenance
?–1944 Clayton R. Mishler, Dearborn, MI, to Severance and Greta Millikin
1944–1964 Severance A. [1895–1985] and Greta [Marguerite Steckerl] Millikin [1903–1989], Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
1964– The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Exhibition History
Chinese Art Society of America, New York (February-March 1961): “Arts of the Han Dynasty”
卡爾·坎普 / Dr. Carl Kempe
An elegant gilt bronze sculpture of a tiger, Six dynasties, or earlier.
Well cast in a striding position, slightly arched body raised on four powerful muscular limbs terminating in paws, trailed by a long curling tail, the head with protruding eyes and its sharp fangs revealed. Length 15.5 cm. Height 9 cm. Height with stone base 11.5 cm.
鑄造精良，呈跨步姿勢，微拱的身體以四個強壯的肌肉四肢抬起，四肢末端有爪子，尾部有一條捲曲的長尾，頭部有突出的眼睛，並露出尖利的獠牙。長 15.5 公分。高 9 公分。連石座高 11.5 厘米。
Provenance
Theodore Cultry, Paris. Bluett & Son Ltd, London aquired it from Theodore Cultry, on 16 May 1935 (£95).
O.T. Falk acquired it from the above on 28 September 1935 (£180).
Consiged for sale by O.T. Falk and sold by Bluett & Son Ltd, London to Carl Kempe, 18 May 1938 (£190).
卡爾·坎普收藏序列 / The Carl Kempe Collection.
參考SACA學會發表文章：《翩若惊鸿：卡尔·坎普序列金银器传奇》
瑞典工業家 Carl Kempe 是瑞典紙漿和造紙工業的領導人物，也是一位出色的網球運動員，曾在 1912 年斯德哥爾摩夏季奧運會上贏得銀牌。如今，他是國際知名的中國古董收藏家。
卡爾·坎普博士在書桌前，可以看到書桌上有一隻來自六朝的神牛，還有一件非常重要的金器。
Carl Kempe 對中國藝術的興趣始於 1920 年代早期。他也是中國委員會的成員之一，該委員會由瑞典國王古斯塔夫-阿道夫殿下 (HRH Gustav Adolf)、後來的國王古斯塔夫六世-阿道夫殿下 (HRH King Gustav VI Adolf)、Torsten Laurin、Johan Gunnar Andersson、Axel Carlander 和 Axel Lagrelius 等人創立，旨在從中國收購藝術品。中國委員會後來轉型為斯德哥爾摩的中國俱樂部 (倫敦東方陶瓷協會的當地分會)。
深入研究 Carl Kempe 在 1920 年代及以後的庫存，我們可以發現他從巴黎的經銷商如 C. T. Loo、Monsieur N. Knudsen 和 Monsieur L. Michon，以及倫敦的經銷商 Bluett & Sons、Sydney L. Moss、Yamanaka & Co、 John Sparks、Peter Boode 先生、Norton 先生、K. Shimuzu、Spink & Son、北京畫商 Wang Chia Yu 和 Cang I Chen、上海畫商 E. T. Chow，以及斯德哥爾摩畫商 Hans Öström、C. E. Gadelius、Orvar Karlbeck 和 Karlbeck Consortium。繼1920年代開始對中國藝術產生興趣後，Carl Kempe與妻子於1935-1936年前往中國，與其他著名的瑞典人會面，例如Johan Gunnar Andersson，他贊助了這些人的探險與發掘。據報導，他在中國購買了約 250 件中國藝術品。
Kempe 最初被清朝的多彩瓷器所吸引，但後來他對白釉陶瓷產生了特別的興趣，尤其是唐宋時期的陶瓷。
他對另一個領域產生了濃厚的興趣，後來形成了壯觀的收藏，那就是中國的金銀器，從青銅時代的周朝一直到清朝。
他的第三個專門收藏領域是中國玻璃，他將其遺贈給了斯德哥爾摩的 Östasitiska Museet，雖然他也獲得了中國漆器、琺瑯器、青銅器和其他物品的精品，並將他的興趣擴展到羅馬、埃及、伊斯蘭和伊特魯里亚玻璃以及黃金。
他還將藏品借給多個國際展覽，例如 1926 年在科隆舉辦的 「Ausstellung der Vereinigung der Freunde Ostasiatischer Kunst「，以及 1935 年至 1936 年在倫敦舉辦的著名的 」中國藝術國際展」（請參閱第 xxxi 頁的借出者索引）。他的好朋友 J. G. Andersson 於 12 月 5 日下午 5 點在 Burlington House 的皇家學會舉辦講座「古代中國的金匠」。The Arts de la Chine Ancienne，Musee de L'Orangerie，巴黎，1937 年。在這次展覽之後，他似乎購買了一些金器，這些金器是由巴黎 Wannieck 夫人借出的。他也借出許多物品給哥本哈根的展覽「Kinas Kunst i Svensk og Dansk eje, det danske Kunstindustrimuseum, Kobenhamn」，1950 年。
身為一位熱心的學術收藏家 (他形容自己是一位狂熱的收藏家)，Kempe 歡迎來自世界各地的學者與收藏家來參觀、討論與研究他的傑出收藏，並一直收藏到他生命的最後一刻。Kempe 贊助了許多研究計畫和發掘工作，他也是一位真正的藝術贊助人，並向位於斯德哥爾摩的Östasiatiska Museet 提供了許多捐款。
1967 年他逝世後，藏品繼續在他位於 Ekolsund Castle 的居所展出，1970 年代，他的女兒們追隨父親的腳步，同意出借 Kempe 約 150 件陶瓷、金器和銀器藏品。因此，他們與亞洲協會 (The Asia Society) 和史密森尼博物館 (Smithsonian) 合作，將這些藏品送往美國巡迴展出，並由 Bo Gyllensvärd (他曾撰寫關於該藏品的博士論文) 在 1971 年出版的《中國金銀器與瓷器 - Kempe 珍藏》中發表。
1997 年，Kempe 收藏的大部分陶瓷、金銀器皿出售給 Ulricehamn 的藝術與遠東古物博物館 (Museum of Art and Far Eastern Antiquities)。約十年後，這批藏品在拍賣會上售出，其中一部分在名為「Masterpieces of Chinese Precious Metalwork」的拍賣會上拍賣： 倫敦蘇富比於 2008 年 5 月 14 日舉行的拍賣會上拍賣。
現在提供的藏品仍由 Kempe 家族收藏，現由家族自行出售。
The Swedish industrialist Carl Kempe was a leading figure of the Swedish pulp and paper industry, as well as an accomplished tennis player who won a silver medal at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm. Today he is better known internationally as a famed collector of Chinese antiquities.
Carl Kempe’s interest in Chinese art began in the early 1920s. He belonged to a group of Chinese art connoisseurs who began collecting in the early 20th century; he was also a member of the China Committee, created by HRH Gustav Adolf, later HRH King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden, Torsten Laurin, Johan Gunnar Andersson, Axel Carlander and Axel Lagrelius amongst others to acquire art from China. The China Committee later transformed into the China Club in Stockholm (a local branch of the Oriental Ceramic Society in London).
Delving into Carl Kempe’s inventories from the 1920’s and onwards one can see that he acquired items from Paris dealers such as C. T. Loo, Monsieur N. Knudsen and Monsieur L. Michon, and from London dealer Bluett & Sons, Sydney L. Moss, Yamanaka & Co., John Sparks, Mr Peter Boode, Mr Norton, K. Shimuzu, Spink & Son, Beijing dealers Wang Chia Yu and Cang I Chen, from Shanghai E. T. Chow, and from Stockholm dealers Hans Öström, C. E. Gadelius, Orvar Karlbeck, and the Karlbeck Consortium. Following his initial interest in Chinese art in the 1920s, Carl Kempe and his wife travelled to China in 1935-1936, were he met up with the other famed Swedes out there such as Johan Gunnar Andersson, whose expeditions, and excavations he sponsored. In China it has been reported that he purchased some 250 items of Chinese art.
Kempe had been attracted to Qing dynasty polychrome porcelains initially, but he later developed a particular interest in white-glazed ceramics – especially those from the Tang-Song period.
The other area in which he developed a great interest in and subsequently formed a spectacular collection, was Chinese gold and silver, which ranged from the Bronze Age Zhou dynasty to the Qing dynasty.
His third area of specialised collecting was Chinese glass, that he bequeathed to the Östasitiska Museet in Stockholm, although he also acquired fine examples of Chinese lacquer, enamels, bronzes, and other items, as well expanding his interests to Roman, Egyptian, Islamic and Etruscan glass, and gold.
He also loaned pieces from the collection to several international exhibitions, for example, to the ‘Ausstellung der Vereinigung der Freunde Ostasiatischer Kunst, Köln, 1926,the famous 1935-36 International Exhibition of Chinese Art in London (see listing on page xxxi index of lenders). His good friend J. G. Andersson gave a lecture at the Royal Society, Burlington House, December 5th, 5 P.M. "The Goldsmith in Ancient China". The Arts de la Chine Ancienne, Musee de L’Orangerie, Paris, 1937. After this exhibition he seems to have purchased some gold items that was on loan by Madame de Wannieck, Paris. He also lends a good number of items to the exhibition in Copenhagen ‘Kinas Kunst i Svensk og Dansk eje, det danske Kunstindustrimuseum, Kobenhamn’, 1950.
As an enthusiastic, academic collector (he described himself as a manic collector), Kempe welcomed scholars and collectors from all over the world, to view, discuss and research his remarkable collection and collected to end of his days. Kempe sponsored numerous research projects and excavations and was a true patron of the arts and made numerous donations to Östasiatiska Museet in Stockholm.
After his death in 1967 the collection continued to be displayed at his residence at Ekolsund Castle, and in the 1970s his daughters followed their father’s footsteps and agreed to lend some 150 items of ceramics, gold, and silver from the Kempe collection. So, they were sent on a touring exhibition in the United States in collaboration with The Asia Society and the Smithsonian, published by Bo Gyllensvärd, who wrote his PhD on the Collection, in Chinese Gold and Silver and Porcelain - The Kempe Collection, 1971.
In 1997 a large part of the Kempe collection of ceramics, gold and silver was sold to the Museum of Art and Far Eastern Antiquities in Ulricehamn. Some ten years later the collection was sold at auction and part of them were auctioned at a sale entitled Masterpieces of Chinese Precious Metalwork: Early Gold and Silver, held by Sotheby’s London on 14 May 2008.
The objects now on offer have remained with Kempe family – and are now offered for sale by the family.
Exhibitions
Kinas Kunst i svensk och dansk eje, 391. Udstillning i det Danska Kunstindustrimuseum, København, april 1950. Lot No 102. Listed there as: Provenance, Chuansien, Southern Shensi. Han or slightly later. From the Collection of Dr Carl Kempe.
Compare other gilt bronze sculptures of animals from the Six dynasties, see for example Sotheby’s a dragon depicted walking in this manner from the collection of Stephen Junkunc, III, 19th March 2019, lot 116.For another dragon, see Sotheby’s, Junkunc: Arts of Ancient China II /Lot 247. 10 September 2019 • New York.
Literature
Osvald Siren, ‘Kinas konst under tre årtusenden’, Vol I-II. Stockholm 1942. To be found in the chapter on the Six dynasties and the Sui dynasty. Depicted on Pl 126. Image 3. Listed as from the Collection of C. Kempe, Stockholm.
Royal Academy of Arts, London 1935-36, International Exhibition of Chinese Art. Compare with other gilt bronze animals depicted dated as Six dynasties, see lot no 516 (the dragon is depicted in the same pose, walking), 528 and 500. Also, animals dated as Wei, lot 520. and two Han beasts, see lot no 518 and 527.
Roy Davids & Dominic Jellinek, Provenance, Collectors, Dealers & Scholars: Chinese Ceramics in Britain & America. 2011. See page 176, about the Collector Osvald Toynbee (1879-1972).
More information
Striking for its powerful dynamism and slender elegance, this striding tiger embodies the majesty and virility entirely commensurate with its role in Chinese cosmology.
The Four Symbols are mythological creatures appearing among the Chinese constellations along the ecliptic, and viewed as the guardians of the four cardinal directions. These four creatures are also referred to by a variety of other names, including "Four Guardians", "Four Gods", and "Four Auspicious Beasts". They are the Azure Dragon of the East, the Vermilion Bird of the South, the White Tiger of the West, and the Black Tortoise (also called "Black Warrior") of the North.
Comments