The Magazine Antiques - March 1998
March 1998 issue of The Magazine Antiques featuring a major group of articles devoted to Chinese export painting, Asian export art, China trade portraiture, and the artistic exchanges between East and West during the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries. An excellent reference issue for collectors of Chinese export porcelain, paintings, maritime trade material, and Asian decorative arts.
Overview
The March 1998 issue of The Magazine Antiques is particularly notable for its concentration on Chinese export art and the cultural exchanges that shaped the international decorative arts market during the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. Long before globalization became a modern concept, merchants, artists, collectors, and patrons participated in an active exchange of goods, ideas, and artistic traditions between Asia and the West. The articles gathered in this issue examine several important aspects of that history and provide valuable context for collectors of Chinese export porcelain, paintings, furniture, maritime artifacts, and related material culture.
The cover features a Chinese watercolor depicting a Chinese artist at work, circa 1800, photographed courtesy of Martyn Gregory Gallery, London. The image establishes the central theme of the issue: the production, adaptation, and transmission of artistic traditions across cultures and markets.
Among the principal articles are Patrick Conner's study of Spoilum and the origins of China trade portraiture; Kee Il Choi Jr.'s examination of Carl Gustav Ekeberg and the development of Chinese export painting; Christian J. A. Jorg's exploration of the Dutch connection and Asian export art in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries; and Barbara Dayer Gallati's discussion of American watercolor painting in the 1920s. Together these essays create a substantial body of scholarship on artistic exchange, collecting history, and the movement of decorative arts through international trade networks.
As with many issues of The Magazine Antiques, the value extends beyond the feature articles. Museum accessions, collecting news, book reviews, calendars, design notes, and period advertisements provide insight into the antiques market and museum world of the late twentieth century. Advertisements from established dealers and galleries often serve as useful historical records for researchers investigating collecting trends, market tastes, and institutional relationships.
For collectors interested in Chinese export art, maritime commerce, East-West cultural exchange, watercolor painting, and the history of collecting, this issue remains a useful and engaging reference nearly three decades after publication.
Dating / Background
Published in March 1998 by The Magazine Antiques, one of the most respected periodicals devoted to decorative arts, antiques, architecture, collecting, museum scholarship, and material culture. By the late twentieth century the publication had become an indispensable reference source for dealers, collectors, museums, and researchers worldwide.
Why Collect
Older issues of The Magazine Antiques frequently function as specialized reference works rather than merely periodicals. This issue is especially attractive because it concentrates on Chinese export painting and Asian export art, subjects that continue to receive strong collector and scholarly interest. The articles preserve research, photography, and interpretations that remain relevant for identifying, understanding, and appreciating objects connected to the China trade and global decorative arts markets.
Dimensions (inches)
- Height: 11 7/8
- Width: 9 1/8
- Depth: 3/8
- Weight: 1.4 lbs
Condition
Good to very good condition overall with occasional bumped corners and light evidence of handling consistent with age and use. Interiors remain clean and readable. Binding remains sound and intact.
