Research I: Sirén

NEW HORIZONS IN EAST ASIA

Osvald Sirén’s Encounter with Chinese Art

Minna Törmä

Abstract

This research focuses on the reconstruction of the East Asian voyages of Osvald Sirén (1879–1966), Finnish-Swedish art historian. Sirén made four voyages to East Asia: 1918, 1921–1923, 1929–1930 and 1935. He spent most of his time during these travels in China and Japan, but he visited Korea as well. In general, the period from ca. 1900–late 1930’s was an intense period of reseach and travel in China and many of the Western collections of Chinese art were formed at this time. It was also a time when archaeological excavations began in a systematic fashion in China. Sirén, among several other western scholars or dealers, was involved in this process. The growing market for ancient grave goods, especially, promoted widespread interest in China’s ancient arts and created new collectors.

The reconstruction of the itineraries, acquisitions and personal contacts is based mainly on the unpublished material – letters, notebooks, receipts of acquisitions – in the Sirén archive (Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm). This helps us to understand Sirén’s choices for research topics at those times, for example, why was this well-known scholar of painting suddenly enthusiastic about archaeology and planned an archaeological excavation in China? The study will also clarify what made this internationally known scholar of Italian art to turn to Chinese art and in a sense begin his career anew.

Contents

1. In the Forbidden City [introduction]

2. Enchanted by Lohans in Boston

3. The first voyage to East Asia [1918]

4. The expedition that lasted too long [1921–1923]

5. The fruits of the 1921–1923 voyage

6. ”Promise full service”

7. Language lessons and curio-dealers [1929–1930]

8. Enhancing the Asian collection in the Nationalmuseum [1935]

9. The Canon of Chinese Painting

10. Garden as a refuge [epilogue]

This study is part of the research project A PORTRAIT OF ART HISTORY. CRITICAL APPROACHES TO THE FINNISH ART HISTORY AND HISTORIANS

dir. prof. Renja Suominen-Kokkonen

funded by Academy of Finland (2008–2011)

University of Helsinki, Institute fro Art Research, Art History