Sea at sea, watch Xuhui 丨 Tushan Bay painted glass carved cabinet returns to the beginning and end

Tushan Bay is one of the important birthplaces of Haipai culture and sea -faction craftsmanship, and it is also the origin of Shanghai's modern art and even modern Chinese and Western cultural intersections. The famous painter Xu Beihong praised Tushan Bay in "Communication of Chinese and Western Culture", "has contributed very precious contributions", and is "the cradle of Chinese Western painting".

In June 2010, a open view of Zhang Wenjing, an open Tushan Bay Museum in the former site of the Tushan Bay Orphan Crafts Academy

The painted glass craftsmanship of Tushan Bay was once known as "Chinese painted glass, which is the first product"; when commented on the product of Tushan Bay Woodworking Department, the outside world said: "This kind of work can be comparable to the best workshop in Europe."

In 1912, a Tushan Bay painted glass carved cabinet was produced by Tushan Bay Orphan Crafts Academy, combined with painted glass and woodworking carving skills, and passed the ocean in 1915 to participate in the Panama Pacific Ocean held in San Francisco, USA. Expo. For nearly a century since then, she quietly settled in the residence of overseas collectors.

Until December 2013, accidental opportunities, this exquisite Tushan Bay carved cabinet returned to the hometown, together with more than 400 collections such as Chinese archway, became a testimony of Tushan Bay's century -old history.

Photo by Zhang Wenjing, Tuchan Bay China Architecture

At this time, No. 55 Puhuitang Road has become the Tushan Bay Museum built on the former site of the Tushan Bay Orphan Crafts Academy.

How does this 110 -year -old carved cabinet "go home"? What is the unknown story behind it? The reporter recently approached Mr. Song Haojie, the deputy director of the Xuhui District Cultural Bureau, and now retired.

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One day in April 2013, Song Haojie, then deputy director of the Xuhui District Cultural Bureau, received an unfamiliar courier, from the United States on the other side of the ocean. Open the envelope, there are eight photos and a letter in it -the photo is a full photo and local details of the cabinet. The cabinet is inlaid with painted glass, and the appearance carvings are very delicate.

Tushan Bay Cabinet, which was stored in the United States

The letter is very long. "My wife and I suddenly realized that for Chinese history, the value of the cabinet is too great, and it is very important. We can't take advantage of ourselves. Therefore, we decided to sell it. We can have 40 years, and we are satisfied with it. "Carry wrote in the letter:" If you are interested in this great work full of Chinese history, now it will be placed in my wife’s online shop. There are a few photos there. If you need it, I hope I will send it If you give it to you, please tell me. "

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In the 1970s, Dr. Carry saw a Chinese cabinet at a auction in San Francisco. He speculated that the wood of the cabinet was precious Huanghuali. The painted glass inlaid on the front of the cabinet, the carved on both sides and the hollow carving on the wooden pillars of the cabinet made the Carry present. He guessed that the carving on the cabinet was traditional Chinese historical stories, so he couldn't help but hold it. The seller also told him that the cabinet was an object of the Forbidden City of Beijing in China. The reason was that the Tengyun carved on the wooden pillar of the cabinet was a five -claw cloud dragon. The knowledge of China told them that only the palace of the palace was qualified to own it.

Careful Corry also found that there were two labels on the back of the cabinet, which was the label of the Panama Pacific International Expo, Panama, the United States in 1915. Obviously, this cabinet had participated in the International Expo as a representative of the exhibits. The Carry couple ecstatic to collect such precious art. More importantly, they recently discovered that there is a French letter "T'ou Sè Wè" in the lower left corner of the left door of the cabinet.

Painted Glass Tushan Bay mark

At that time, they doubted whether these French letters would be the name of painting glass artists, so they searched the Internet and found that these letters were French abbreviations of Shanghai Xujiahui Tushan Bay place names. It is also on the Internet. They know some of the Tushan Bay Orphan Crafts Academy. There are woodworking departments in the crafts, as well as painting museums and other workshops. The painted glass on the cabinet is the work of the painting museum. Coincidentally, they also saw Song Haojie's name on the Internet, so they had the letter from this article.

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Another one of Tushan Bay treasures surfaced.

Song Haojie carefully looked at the photos and found that although it has a century of history, this cabinet is still well preserved, the workmanship is fine, and the carvings are smooth. No wonder it can represent China at that time, far from the US land to participate in the international expo. In particular, the content of the painted glass paintings on the three doors on the front of the cabinet, even scholars who have long studied the history of Tushan Bay culture for a long time, have not been seen so far.

"We are very interested in what you came to the Tushan Bay Cabinet. Thank you and your wife for forty years to collect the Tushan Bay cabinet." After analysis and demonstration, it was initially determined that this cabinet should be produced by the orphan Crafts Academy of the Tushan Bay in Shanghai at that time. "Song Haojie briefly introduced the history of the Tushan Bay Orphan Crafts Academy, and said," I hope Dr. Carry will provide a few more cabinets to provide a few more cabinets. The overall and local photos, as well as the photos of painting glass and back labels, so that we can further analyze the situation of the cabinet. "

Painted glass Tao Yuanming to chrysanthemum

Painted Glass Tushan Bay mark

A few days later, Dr. Carry came from the Internet to take photos he took. Song Haojie and cultural relics experts concluded: "We confirm that this cabinet comes from the Shanghai Tushan Bay Orphan Crafts Academy, not the Beijing Palace Museum." He also told Carry: "All wooden items made in Tushan Bay have never used Huanghuali wood. Therefore, the wood of the cabinet is definitely not Huanghuali, which is the specific wood, and can only be judged after seeing the objects. As for the problem of the five -claw dragon, the Qing Dynasty had been overthrown that year, and China did not have emperors, so your this is your emperor. The statement does not exist. "The woodcarving dragon decoration (left)

The fact is that in 1914, this cabinet and Tushan Bay Pagoda, Tushan Bay archway, screen and various furniture were loaded together to San Francisco, and participated in the 1915 Panama -Pacific World Expo. "The University of California Jesus 1310 of the University of St. Clara" records "That Expo, all the exhibits transported by Tushan Bay are 150 tons." This is an absolute astronomical figure. After the International Expo, the considerable part of these exhibits were collected by many museums in the United States that have been set aside, and the other part was collected by folk collectors.

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"Thank you very much for your answer. I am deeply grateful about your answers to the meaning of carving technology, the meaning of the five -claw dragon, Huanghuali and the Beijing Palace Museum. The speculation is incorrect. "Dr. Kari's modesty and frankness moved Song Haojie very much, which also laid a good foundation for the negotiation price. "You have forty years of cabinets, and you are close to the cabinet every day, or you can open a price. It's better."

"We all realize that this unique Tushan Bay work is valuable in today's market. Some of the components in it are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and some even more than one million US dollars. I don’t know that your museum can have this work. What a big budget. State again, we accept the highest reasonable price that the museum can provide. "Carry said. "The cabinet is different from the painting and calligraphy of the past. It is not from the hands of famous artists; the cabinets are also different from antique porcelain jade. His collection group is quite narrow." Song Haojie responded.

Although the price of Karry is far beyond the acceptable range, Song Haojie feels not high, "because it truly defines the preciousness and scarcity of Tushan Bay art. After more than two months of conversation, the cabinet sank from the beginning of Carry, until the final price recognized by both parties, including the freight and insurance costs transported to Shanghai to Shanghai.

"It is not necessary to conceal that the Tushan Bay Museum is a National Museum. Budget system, relying on the government's funding, its expenditure has a set of strict standards and operating procedures." Corry expressed his understanding of Song Haojie. In the end, he was very pleasant to agree with the price of the Chinese side and stated that he would speed up the transfer process.

In order to ensure the authenticity and price of the cabinet, the Xuhui District Cultural Bureau specifically hired antique experts in New York, USA, and Chinese Chinese C Mr. C as a senior adviser. Damage.

In mid -September, at the house of Dr. Carri, Mr. C talked with Song Haojie, who was far away in Shanghai while looking at the cabinet. At this time, China was already midnight. Mr. C told him that the cabinet must have a year. The label above is real, and the carving of the cabinet is also perfect. The content should be a traditional Chinese historical story, which is no different from the photos. It is just a little bit of abrasion in some places, with a little incomplete, but as a century -old cabinet, these are very normal. In the end, Mr. C reduced the price of cabinets by one -sixth after negotiation between China and the degree of incompleteness of the cabinet and Corry.

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On October 25, 2013, when Carry received the first prepayment, the cabinet began to be shipped from his home from Oklahoma to Houston, Port City.

Painted glass Qinsehehe

Painted glass forestry

Woodcarving and craft handle

The next day, Song Haojie received photos during the cabinet handling process from Carry from the Internet.

On November 13, the cabinet left Houston, passed through the Gulf of Mexico, passed through the Panama Canal, across the Pacific Ocean.

On December 1, the cabinet arrived in Shanghai smoothly.

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Standing in front of Tushan Bay painted glass carved cabinets, Song Haoge and his colleagues were still shocked.

The cabinet is about 2.13 meters high, 1.52 meters wide, and 0.41 meters deep. The entire cabinet except for seven painted glass, all of which are carved. On the front is the door of the left, middle, and right inlaid with painted glass. On the painted glass of the middle cabinet door, a dragon is inlaid, and the paintings of the cabinet doors on both sides are Chinese traditional historical stories.

In the book "Xu Huiji" written by Zhang Jian in 1914, he has a high evaluation of the painting glass of Tushan Bay. In -depth glass, permanent retirement, Chinese painted glass, this is the first product. "

The painted glass of Tushan Bay can get such glory. Song Haojie introduced that the contents of the three painted glass on the left cabinet door of the cabinet were taken from "Lin Xun Reward Mei" in the allusions of the Song Dynasty "Mei Wife Hezi", "Liu Bei Recruitment" in "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms" and "Seven Capture Meng Gao Gong "; The contents of the three pieces of painted glass on the right door are taken from the love story of Zhao Mingcheng and female poet Li Qingzhao in the" Qinse He "allusions of the Song Dynasty, and the famous verse of the Eastern Jin Dynasty poet Tao Yuanming" Under the East Restaurant of Chrysanthemums, see Nanshan leisurely " "Yuanming to Ju" and the "Wen Jun Dang" allusions in the Western Han Dynasty, the talented daughter Zhuo Wenjun and Sima Xiangru after elopement. The cabinet material is red willow eucalyptus. There are nine pieces of complete carvings of traditional Chinese historical stories. There are three fronts on the front and three pieces on the left and right sides. The carving process shows obvious Jiangsu and Zhejiang style. It is also a popular traditional furniture carving style. Nine pieces of woodcarving are "Yue Yun Hammer Jin Cicada" in "Say Yuequan Biography" and "Wei Wentong Nine Wars Qin Qiong", "Royal Drone Garden", "Xue Rengui", "Dingzhou", "Beauty" in "Sui and Tang Dynasties". "Liangchuan", "The Emperor's Romance" in "The Romance of the Gods", the "Peach Club" in "Journey to the West".

Expo Exhibition Tip

The bottom angle of the painted glass in the middle of the cabinet is written with "T'ou Sè Wè" French letters. These letters are French pronunciation of Tushan Bay. The bottom corner of the painted glass in the lower right and central parts also has the Chinese characters with vertical "Tushan Bay". There are two same English labels on the back of the cabinet. The Chinese translation of English on the label is "US Customs. Panama -Pacific International Expo, exhibits. The serial number is 582, the box number is 20, and the batch number is 9". Obviously, this is a poster posted by the US customs when entering the US customs. The holding time of the Panama -Pacific International Expo was 1915, and the cabinet has exceeded a century of history.

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Painted Glass Tushan Bay mark (bottom left)

Wood Carving Royal Park

Photo by Zhang Wenjing, one corner of the Tushan Bay Museum

Now, this vicissitudes of painted glass woodcarving cabinets stand quietly at the Tuchan Bay Museum, where it had set off more than a hundred years ago. Faced with the hometown, he silently told a long history of cultural exchanges between Chinese and Western cultural exchanges. Cultural relics are memorable, so this cabinet that spans the Pacific Ocean and has gone through a century of vicissitudes is not only loved by Orientals, but also respected by Westerners. More importantly, it keeps people remember the name of Tushan Bay, and in the long history, the legendary soil of the Xujiahui Tushan Bay and the contribution it once made.

Edit: Wang Jiaxin

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