The past is back
British collector shows wood pieces of ancient Chinese scholars
What did a Chinese scholar’s studio look like hundreds of years ago? Collector, writer and curator Marcus Flacks offers a comprehensive insight into five different scholar’s studios in his latest art book Custodians of the Scholar’s Way: Chinese Scholars’ Objects in Precious Woods, which has just been translated and published for Chinese readers.
In his book released last month, the British author elaborates on his collection of around 200 wooden objects used by Chinese scholars, which were usually made from precious hardwoods, that helped to reflect the social status of their owners. Many of these pieces were bought early in his career as a collector and antique dealer, when classical Chinese furniture such as cabinets, armchairs and stools were popular and highly sought after by Chinese and Western collectors alike.
To give readers a better understanding of how ancient Chinese scholars spent their time in their studios, which were often regarded as private spaces that reflected the personal taste and lifestyle of their owners, Flacks recreated five typical styles of studio decorated by his collections of wooden objects, including a “female studio”, an “imperial studio” and a “natural Tao studio”.
“I felt it was of paramount importance to create a historical and aesthetic context for these pieces to live in, to help readers to reconnect with the history that helped form the world of the literatus,” he says.
Screens on tables used to block out the wind as scholars practiced calligraphy or painted a variety of objects using ink brushes. From delicate censers, food trays, and boxes of weiqi — the game of Go that was popular among scholars — to pen boxes with engraved paintings and cases, all of these wooden objects were laid out in the studios designed by Flacks and depicted by Chinese painter Liu Xin.
Hai Yan, a major collector of ancient Chinese furniture, said at a talk with Flacks at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in May, that, compared to furniture, scholars’ objects better represented the mindset of the Chinese elite and the individual aesthetics of ancient times. They connect modern Chinese society with a traditional culture which lasted for thousands of years.
Like many other collectors, Hai spent years building up his collection of large pieces of Chinese furniture, but tended to overlook the small objects used by scholars. However, as prices of smaller pieces have begun to rise in recent years, they have begun to attract more attention in market.
But for Flacks, who maintains a strong passion for Chinese culture, his collection of these long neglected pieces started in the early 1990s with his wife Debby. The Flacks refer to themselves merely as the “custodians” of these delicate wooden objects, which were often treated as items of secondary importance by the art market.
The British collector says that many dealers thought the couple were crazy because they often offered big sums of money for these small objects. They mainly bought from dealers and collectors directly as they traveled around the world.
As an antique dealer himself, Flacks has had the opportunity to see lots of good examples of these objects, which has helped him to develop his knowledge — and thus pave the way for him to write a book on such a specific subject matter.
Before publishing this book, Flacks released two works in 2012, Classical Chinese Furniture and Contemplating Rocks, both of which focused on the lifestyle of the ancient Chinese scholars and their interest in the spiritual world.
“To me, they are of unparalleled importance in the cultural history of China,” says Flacks of his love for these objects.
The role of the scholars as the dominant force in Chinese culture endured from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) right until the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The habits, rituals, pastimes and moral values of the literati and all of the fine art that went with them formed a pivotal part of cultural life in China, he explains.
The original English version of the book was published in 2014 and sold well among collectors with a cover price of $200. It took him two-and-ahalf years to write, design and see it through to print. But the research and planning stages of the book cost him many more years than this, not to mention his decades of collecting experience.
And four years later, the Chinese version proved to be a major undertaking in itself. “There was a long period of negotiation and compromise with Flacks in the making of the book. He was meticulous about every detail”, says Zhu Shuai, founder of the Paragon Book Gallery Beijing, the publisher behind the Chinese version.
“I can see that it’s the most important book that Flacks has ever worked on. He put all his lifelong knowledge of collecting into it,” says Zhu.
In fact, there has never been a book dedicated to such a specific category of wooden objects released in China. Priced at 1,580 yuan ($246) a copy — higher than most Chinese art books — more than 300 copies were sold online in the first two days of release, according to Zhu.
“Chinese buyers have higher expectations for art books with their burgeoning wallets,” he concludes, noting, “they really place a value on traditional culture.”
I felt it was of paramount importance to create a historical and aesthetic context for these pieces to live in.” Marcus Flacks, ancient Chinese furniture collector