Search

Václav Stejskal (1851–1934), a Czech naval officer in the Austro-Hungarian navy, visited East Asia in 1886–8, bringing home a large collection of items from his travels. Stejskal later enjoyed a prestigious social position as his collection was widely praised, but after his death the situation changed. Stejskal was forgotten by the public, and his once-valuable collection of 900 items languished unnoticed in storerooms of the Náprstek Museum in Prague. In 1950, a prestigious exhibition of Chinese art was held in the city, but while items from the Náprstek Museum were exhibited there, no material from Stejskal's collection was included.The history of the collection serves as an example of how social and intellectual changes during the early years of Communist rule in Czechoslovakia influenced the country’s perception of Chinese art. It is argued that ‘romantic idealism’ in the Czechoslovak imagination concerning China caused the misunderstanding and rejection of the collection. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article explores on the scholarship of Far East works of art, its formats and materials, and the procedures used in their conservation. The section examines the subject by describing the overall treatment of a Japanese folding screen in sufficient detail to be both illuminating and cautionary. It reports on the decisions taken and the procedures used in their conservation and remounting. According to the report, the screens were conserved for permanent display at Longfellow House, a National Park Service historic site.

The article offers guidelines for the care of East Asian paintings. The section discusses relevant traditional methods and modern innovations for the safe display, storage and handling of scrolls, screens and albums. It provides a guideline and practical suggestions to determine suitable environmental parameters, display methods, storage containers and handling techniques. The column aims to increase awareness of East Asian paintings and encourage improvements in their preservation by relating traditional practices and modern developments.

The article reports on the display of Far Eastern art at the Victoria and Albert Museum and British Museum in London, England. Victoria and Albert Museum has made much play of its three-year program of market research and development by which it sets out to identify and answer the questions about objects most often asked by visitors. The Joseph E. Hotung Gallery of Oriental Antiquities and Asahi Shimbun Gallery at British Museum has restored the first floor gallery with Edwardian display cases.