Recent work has brought to light those who were part of the Thiers collection: journalist, historian, great political figure of the 19th century (MP, minister, prime minister and, finally, president of the French Republic) It is a relatively little known fact: theChinese art is very present at the Louvre. The Louvre Museum houses in its Decorative Arts Department more than 600 works of Chinese origin, mainly from the collections of Adolphe Thiers, Adèle de Rothschild and the royal collections. Among them are some real treasures. The first section briefly introduces Adolphe Thiers, his particular vision of art, his approach to collecting and his passion for the Renaissance. The second section, the heart of the exhibition, presents the Chinese collection as a whole. Finally, the exhibition itinerary follows the major themes observable in its collection: ancient and contemporary history, images of China (landscapes, architecture, costumes), some key themes of Chinese culture (language, writing, scholars), three wisdoms (Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism), Chinese porcelain – of which he was a recognized expert – and finally imperial art. In this last area the collection includes several masterpieces.
Ambitious collector
The first section of the exhibition presents Adolphe Thiers, journalist, historian, press director, academic, politician. His passion for art and his collection will be at the service of his social ambition and, reciprocally, his social networks will allow him to fuel it. A period room evoking his studio and a selection of European works highlight the intertwining of his Asian collection with the other objects he collected.
Passion for China
Adolphe Thiers's passion for China began in his adolescence; he collected works, books and documents with the intention of writing a history of world art, in which China would occupy an important place. Thiers, a man of letters, discovered China and its culture through objects and books. This section opens with the presentation of his sinological library and the crucial place of works on Chinese history. Thiers was interested in the long history of China and, when he could, he bought ancient works. He also worked to imagine China, collecting paintings, engravings and drawings that represented the country. He was also interested in the culture of Chinese scholars, the role of writing in this civilization and subjects such as tea or the taste of nature.
The reference collection
The exhibition finally presents Thiers' works relating to three chinese wisdoms : Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Barthélémy Saint Hilaire, one of his closest friends, was a specialist in Buddhism. Thiers himself was a renowned specialist in Chinese porcelain and his collection was a point of reference at the time (it was partly destroyed during the Commune). The exhibition ends with the presentation of the imperial works. Collecting art well before the Opium Wars (which he opposed), Thiers had access to collectors in China through his network of travelers, diplomats, and sinologists. He managed to acquire some first-rate works, including an extraordinary Qingming Shanghe Tu scroll made for the Qianlong Emperor.
Curated by Jean-Baptiste Clais, Chief Curator of the Decorative Arts Department of the Louvre Museum.
