From merchant to elite artist and collector

Abstract

Abstract This paper reports the first academic research on the collection of Yan Xinhou (1838–1906), a prominent gentry–merchant from the second half of the nineteenth century. It presents the Yan collection, now housed at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University, and tells a fascinating story of the Yan family and how their collection came to the United States during the early twentieth century. More importantly, it provides a starting point for future explorations of the taste, collecting practices and social relations of the late Qing merchants. The collection contains thirty-two works of Ming and Qing dynasty painting and calligraphy, including calligraphy items by Zhang Ruitu (1570–1641), Jiang Chenying (1628–1699) and Qian Bojiong (1738–1812); paintings by Wang Shimin (1592–1680), Xiao Yuncong (1596–1673), Wang Wu (1632-1690), Ma Quan (active 1800s), Shangguan Zhou (1665–c.1749), Zheng Xie (1693–1765), Hua Yan (1682–1756), Xi Gang (1746–1803), Pan Simu (1756–after 1843), Zhao Wei (1746–1825), Qian Du (1764–1845), Gai Qi (1773–1828) and Wu Xizai (1799–1870).