Metropolitan's new exhibition of Islamic art will have "major impact" on antique carpet market

Metropolitan's new exhibition of Islamic art will have "major impact" on antique carpet market

The Emperor's Carpet (detail), second half of 16th century, Iran. Silk (warp and weft), wool (pile); asymmetrically knotted pile, 24 ft. 11 in. x 11 ft. 1 ½ in. (759.5 x339 cm).The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rogers Fund, 1943 (43.121.1) Image © The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

OAKLAND, CA.- The new exhibition of Islamic Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York will have a major impact on the appreciation and valuation of antique Oriental rugs and carpets Jan David Winitz, president/founder of Claremont Rug Company, today predicted. Winitz visited the Islamic Art exhibition prior to its recent opening and marveled at the majesty of the rugs on display. He said, “It easily contains the most important display of historical Oriental rugs on U.S. soil. “I believe that the exhibition at the New York Met will be an enormous influence on the interest in and on the value of highly-collectible rugs from the ‘Second Golden Age of Persian Weaving,’” he said, pointing out that the period is generally identified as the 19th to the turn of the 20th century, when vegetal dyes were still employed exclusively and the traditional carpet weaving techniques were central to the culture. “Before the Met exhibition, the unfathomable level of craftsmanship and artistry of the best of antique Persian carpets had been overlooked primarily from lack of exposure, with very few museum shows or widely-circulated publications addressing them,” Winitz said. “The popularity of our brochures, which we have produced seasonally for nearly 30 years, is a proof point. There is even a secondary market among collectors for the older editions, which indicates that enthusiasts are thirsting for information and examples of the profound artistic level that certain antique Oriental rugs have reached.” Winitz also said that major publications, including the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal, have written detailed feature articles about the new Islamic Galleries “and I have spoken with several art publications about it.” The attention drawn to the aesthetic tradition of this region “will certainly reinforce our long-held contention that the traditions of Middle Eastern Art have been major influences on Western Art, starting as early as the 15th century. Winitz, author of The Guide to Purchasing an Oriental Rug, described his tour of the exhibition as a deeply moving experience. “Frankly, it was an honor to stand before the great Persian carpets of the Savafid period and experience the world they depict where all life swirls in a never-ending dance around a motionless center,” he said. “Along with a duo of architectural installations, the carpet presentation is the most immediately captivating in this extremely admirable exhibition. “The thrilling colors and staggering fineness of detail in the carpets from the Savafid dynasty are unforgettable and centrally important because they represent the technical height of Persian Court weaving. Those workshops had the ultimate venture capital funding, the Safavid Court.” Historians and connoisseurs have long agreed that until commercialism irrevocably compromised the weaving art in the second quarter of the 20th century, rug-making was an unbroken 4,000-year tradition, alive at every level of Near Eastern society from royal workshops to tribal encampments. By tradition, in each venue, the most inspired weavers ignited the imaginations of the next generation of rug artists. Winitz said, “I was awe-struck by the Khorossan compartment fragment with its architectural strength and sensuous color. The Portuguese carpet (17th century) clearly provided inspiration for carpets from Persian Azerbaijan, such as Serapis, two centuries later. Carpets, such as the Kurdish Garden Carpet (18th century) or the 14th century Turkish Animal Carpet created images in my mind of great 19th century carpets that have passed through my gallery.” Winitz found the Seley Carpet to be particularly awe-inspiring. “Of all the remarkable things about this carpet, the range of green dyes is unparalleled. The interplay of this green spectrum with the golds and reds reflects the Persians’ profound command of color theory.” Referring to the Emperor’s Carpet, Winitz commented, “Viewing the technical achievement of this masterwork, which is of central importance to the long and diverse history of textiles, is extremely moving. The unique hand-knotted construction of Near Eastern carpets, coupled with their ability to yield an astonishing spectrum of colors using natural dyes, allows for the unparalleled ability of the finest early examples to render definition and nuance. I feel that the New York Times deeming them ‘portable monuments‘ to be a very apt appraisal. “It is only natural that the grandeur of the exhibition rugs at the New York Metropolitan will spur art collectors to seek out the diminishing supply of the finest 19th century Oriental carpets that are still available for purchase,” he said. “I firmly believe that we are the last generation that will have access to antique rugs of this magnitude and which are already moving from the ‘public’ market to museum collections.” Claremont Rug Company, which he founded in 1980, has an inventory of 4000 antique Oriental rugs and carpets, primarily from the 19th century and considered highly-collectible/investment level.

Storytelling in Japanese Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York

Storytelling in Japanese Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York

The Story of the God of Kitano Tenjin Shrine, Kamakura period (1185-1333), 13th century. Scroll IV from a set of five handscrolls, ink, color, and gold leaf on paper, 11 5/16 in. x 18 ft. 8 15/16 in. (28.8 x 571.4 cm) The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fletcher Fund, 1925; 25.224d

NEW YORK, N.Y.- Japan has enjoyed a long tradition of storytelling through paintings and illustrated books, which continues today in the popular art of manga (comic books for children and adults). Showcasing more than 90 vibrant works drawn from the New York Public Library and other local collections, as well as works from the Metropolitan’s own holdings, Storytelling in Japanese Art traces the rich history of illustrated narratives that thrived in the medieval and early modern periods of Japan. The focus of the exhibition is on some 20 rare illustrated handscrolls called emaki. Highlights among them are: an exceptional fragment of the set of handscrolls nicknamed Frolicking Animals, whose parent scrolls in Japan have the designation of National Treasure and are often referred to as ancestors of modern manga; The Tale of the Drunken Demon, capturing a dramatic and gory scene of a warrior chopping off a demon’s head; and the Illustrated Legend of Kitano Shrine, a set of five handscrolls that is displayed simultaneously for the first time. Dating from the 12th to the 19th century, the exhibition also includes works in other formats: handscroll, fan, book, and screen. Illustrated handscrolls, or emaki, represent an artistic tradition that stretches back to the eighth century in Japan. Extant emaki from the 12th and 13th centuries represent the quintessence of narrative presentation in this highly developed format. The tales, many now part of the canon of classical Japanes literature, include miraculous events of the Buddhist and Shinto religious traditions, romantic trysts of courtiers and court ladies, heroic adventures of men and women during times of war, and antics of animals in the roles of humans, not to mention the macabre escapades of ghosts and monsters. Other highlights of the exhibition include rarely seen masterworks such as A Long Tale for an Autumn Night, a homoerotic tale of a romance between a Buddhist monk and a young male novice. The exhibition also features works in various formats illustrating dramatic episodes from The Great Woven Cap, a tale of Fujiwara no Kamatari, the founder of the powerful Fujiwara clan; in its climactic scene, a female diver is chased by a dragon. Some 20 works of art will be rotated into the exhibition in February. The exhibition includes full views of some of the handscrolls in the exhibition on iPad displays within an exhibition reading area. A lavishly illustrated publication and an Audio Guide is also available.

Standing Buddha, 3rd - 5th century

Schist

31 7/8 in. x 10 1/2 in. x 5 in. (80.96 cm x 26.67 cm x 12.7 cm)

Crocker Art Museum Purchase from the William P. & Edith E. Cleary Fund

2007.115

http://www.crockerartmuseum.org/education/catalog/Asian/zoom/index.html?zoomifyImagePath=http://www.crockerartmuseum.org/education/catalog/Asian/zoom/2007.115/&zoomifyMinZoom=-1&zoomifyX=0&zoomifyY=0&zoomifyZoom=-1&zoomifyToolbar=1&zoomifyNavWin=1&zoomifyNavWidth=75&zoomifyNavHeight=75 title="Standing Buddha " rel="shadowbox;width=720;height=520"

Description

• The region of Gandhara in present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan lay on the 5,000-mile Silk Route that linked East Asia with the Middle East and beyond. Buddhist monasteries flourished and consisted of large establishments with multiple stupas (reliquary mounds), shrines, and living quarters. Patrons were generous in their donations of both money and imagery. While the earliest images of the Buddha in Gandhara are generally included in narrative reliefs of his life story, by the 3rd century, freestanding images were produced in greater numbers.
  These images, many of which were life-size, were placed at the base of stupas or in shrines. Most depicted the historical Buddha Shakyamuni, though some represent the future Buddha Maitreya. By the 3rd century, the iconography of the Buddha image was set: he is dressed in monk’s robes, and although he has forsaken his princely life, his earlobes are still distended from the weight of the heavy jewels that he once wore. The ushnisha (cranial protuberance) and the urna (the small dot representing a whorl of hair between his eyebrows) are lakshanas(symbols) of a mahapurusha (great man).
  The treatment of the drapery of this Buddha reflects the Greco-Roman influence that characterizes Gandharan sculpture. His facial features, however, do not have the classical proportions of many images, but instead verge on portraiture. Unlike most Buddha images, which are shown either standing or sitting in a frontal pose, this Buddha has one knee raised, as if he is walking. His posture may thus refer to a specific moment in the historical Buddha’s life, though without a context, it is not possible to say what moment that might be.

9th century Jain sculpture on display at Egmore museum - The Times of India

9th century Jain sculpture on display at Egmore museum

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CHENNAI: A rare Jain sculpture, said to date back to the ninth century AD, was put on display at the Government Museum in Egmore on Monday for the first time since it was gifted in 1976. Part of an exhibition during the heritage week, it will be on display till November 27.

The sculpture called " Navadevata Chakra", museum officials said, is the earliest evidence of the type of worship popular among members of the Digambara sect of Jainism.

"Of the 44 stone Jain sculptures in the museum, this one is unique because it contains details like petals of lotus and a cone-shaped crown. It also an improvisation of sculptures of earlier periods with more ornaments," said museum commissioner SS Jawahar who inaugurated the exhibition.

It is aimed at highlighting the deep roots of Jainism in South India.

Usually, museum officials said, 'Navadevata chakras' (nine deities in a circular format) have eight deities on eight lotus petals and the ninth one on a petal in the centre.

What was a bronze buckle from East Asia doing in 11th century Alaska?

Archaeologists have discovered a bronze artifact in ancient Eskimo settlement...which is pretty surprising, considering ancient Alaska never actually went through the Bronze Age. This artifact was likely cast long ago in Asia before making its long, mysterious journey Northward.

Whatever the artifact was, it's a tiny thing, measuring only two inches long by one inch across, and far less than an inch thick. It was discovered in a house that was dug into the side of a beach ridge by Inupiat Eskimos around a thousand years ago. The house is located on the Seward Peninsula, which is in the northwestern part of Alaska and once formed the American half of the Bering Land Bridge linking the continent with Asia.

The artifact features several telltale signs that it was made in a mold, indicating whoever made this had knowledge of metallurgy. That means there's almost zero chance that the artifact originated in the Seward Peninsula, or indeed anywhere near the area where it was found, as there's zero archaeological evidence of prehistoric metalworking north of Mexico.

What's more, the artifact was probably old even to the 11th century Inupiat Eskimos who lived in the settlement. A leather strap found around the artifact was older still, as the University of Colorado archaeologists were able to radiocarbon date it to about 600 C.E. Of course, the object itself might be much, much older than the strap around it. Exactly what function the artifact served is unknown - it looks like it might have been originally part of a harness, though the Inupiat Eskimos might have repurposed it as a clasp or some other ornamental piece of clothing.

All the available evidence points to an origin in East Asia, though exactly where is an open question. The artifact might have been manufactured in ancient Siberia, Korea, Manchuria, or even as far afield as southern China. It's possible that the artifact was either manufactured in or traded to ancient Siberia, and then it made its way to Alaska along the trade networks that linked the two far northern peoples. In case you're wondering, this ancient link between Asia and North America isn't generally included on lists of Pre-Columbian contact, probably because Alaska was completely isolated from the rest of the Americas, though I do feel a bit silly omitting it from my article on the subject.

Another possibility is that the strap was brought over when the earliest Inupiat Eskimos crossed the Bering Strait about 1,500 years ago. In this scenario, the artifact might well have been passed down from generation to generation as a keepsake of this momentous journey. Either way, it's likely that the artifact held some significance long after it was manufactured, considering that it was still lying around the house centuries later.

Via the University of Colorado.

Sotheby’s to hold a sale dedicated to Furniture & Decorative Arts from The Collection of Dodie Rosekrans

NEW YORK, N.Y.- On 8 & 9 December 2011, Sotheby’s New York will hold a sale dedicated to furniture and decorative arts from the collection of Dodie Rosekrans, a figure who was known internationally for her considerable charitable work, trendsetting style and patronage of the arts. Property from the Collection of Dodie Rosekrans will offer pieces from Mrs. Rosekrans’s residences in San Francisco, Paris and Venice. The auction will be on exhibition in Sotheby’s York Avenue galleries beginning 3 December, and follows the May 2011 sale of Modern and Contemporary art from Mrs. Rosekrans’s collection – highlighted by works from Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol.

Dodie Rosekrans
A celebrated philanthropist, style icon and collector, Dodie Rosekrans was known internationally both for her sense of adventure and unfailingly generous spirit. A trailblazer and trendsetter in fashion, the arts and society, she made a name for herself in each of the cities in which she lived with her late husband John Rosekrans: San Francisco – where she was born to Michael Naify, founder of the movie chain that became United Artists Communications – Paris and Venice. Mr. and Mrs. Rosekrans’s charitable contributions were numerous, highlighted by their efforts to support the museums of San Francisco and Paris, the latter of which earned Mrs. Rosekrans France’s Légion d’Honneur.

“Dodie was simply blessed with a great eye,” commented Charles Moffett, Sotheby’s Vice Chairman. “Her eclectic tastes and interests were not bounded by strictures, regulations, or other people’s values. She could always discern what was special, lively, and lovely, often in the most idiosyncratic ways. Whether collecting couture, Old Master, Modern or Contemporary paintings, decorative arts, or jewelry, the common threads were freshness, character, and, above all, quality.”

Property from the Collection of Dodie Rosekrans – 8 & 9 December 2011
The furniture and decorations on offer this December come from Mrs. Rosekrans’s residence in San Francisco – designed by Michael Taylor – as well as her ‘Indian Jewel Box’ apartment in Paris and her palazzo on the Grand Canal in Venice – both designed by Tony Duquette. The works cover a wide range of geographies and styles, from Asian, American Indian and Pre-Columbian art to Italian, French and English furniture and 20th Century Design, reflecting Mrs. Rosekrans’s ever-evolving curiosity about the world. Having only filled her homes with objects she truly loved, she assembled a Collection very much encompassing the tastes, trends and interests for which she was well known.

Furniture in the sale will feature pieces by French designer Claude Lalanne: both a Pair of “Crocodile” Armchairs from 1994 (est.$275/350,000*) and a “Crocodile Stool” circa 1994 (est. $100/150,000) are highly sought-after forms within the oeuvre of the Lalannes. Eighteenth-century designs from across Europe will be led by a Louis XV Ormolu-Mounted Chinese Lacquer and Ebonized Bureau Plat, circa 1750 (est. $250/350,000), a Genovese Baroque Parcel-Gilt, Black and Gilt Japanned and Polychrome-Decorated Bureau Cabinet, circa 1735 (est. $120/180,000), and Queen Caroline’s Coronation Chair: A Highly-Important George II Giltwood Armchair Attributed to Richard Robert, the Upholstery Attributed to Thomas Phill, circa 1727 (est. $250/350,000). Queen Caroline was King George II’s consort, and her coronation chair became part of the collection at Houghton Hall in Norfolk, where it remained until being sold in 1994.

Additional works demonstrating Mrs. Rosekrans’s eclectic and global tastes include a Marble Cuirassed Torso of an Emperor, Roman Imperial, Flavian Period, 3rd Quarter of the 1st Century A.D. (est. $150/250,000). A relief decoration on the lower part of the armor shows the tropaion, or trophy, a memorial which a Roman army would erect on a battlefield on the very spot where the enemy had turned to flee. A large group of highly decorative Chinese works of art – featuring lacquered furniture and screens, Han Dynasty pottery, Chinese export porcelain and jade and other hardstone carvings – will be led by a Large Brown Ground and Gilt-Decorated Lacquer Cabinet (Gui) from the 17th/18th century (est. $100/150,000). And an Urhobo Male Ancestor Statue of the Founder-Hero Owedjebo, standing more than six feet tall, is one of the most monumental examples of the edjo re akare (“spirits in carved form”) that commemorate semi-mythic village-founding warrior heroes of the Urhobo, who inhabit the western edge of the Niger Delta region in southern Nigeria (est. $100/150,000).

Additional Sales
Property from the Collection of Dodie Rosekrans will be offered in additional auctions at Sotheby’s New York in 2011 and 2012. Contemporary art from the Collection will be featured in the 9 & 10 November Contemporary Art Evening & Day Auctions, led by Keith Haring’s monumental sculpture Untitled from 1986 (est.$1/1.5 million). The cover lot of the 8 December Antiquities sale will be A Marble Head of Zeus Ammon, Roman Imperial, circa 120-160 A.D., one of the most striking and sensitively-carved known representations of the tutelary deity of Alexander the Great (est.$800,000/1.2 million). In January 2012, works from the Collection will highlight the auctions of Important Old Master Paintings & Sculpture and Important Old Master Drawings, led by an incredibly rare and important 15th century panel painting by Fra Bartolomeo. Works by this pivotal figure of the Florentine High Renaissance are very scarce on the market and Saint Jerome in the Wilderness is one of only a handful to ever appear on the auction market.

Huanghuali furniture and Chinese porcelains headline Asian decorative arts auction at Bonhams

A huanghuali altar table. Late 20th century, 33 3/4 x 59 3/4 x 16 3/8 in. Est. $5,000-7,000. Photo: Courtesy of Bonhams.


SAN FRANCISCO.- Bonhams announces its Asian Decorative Arts sale on November 15 in San Francisco. The auction will feature a strong variety of fresh property from private collections and institutions in this 600 lot session, over 500 of which are Chinese. The sale will include a broad selection of 19th and late 20th century huanghuali and hardwood furniture from a Los Angeles collection and others, as well as an assortment of objects from the scholar’s table, including many from the Connor Prairie Museum. The single largest concentration in the sale is a fine selection of Chinese porcelains, including Blanc de Chine and polychrome enamels. Also on offer will be a wide array of fine snuff bottles from various collections.

Headlining the sale is a great selection of Chinese huanghuali and hardwood furniture from a Los Angeles collection. The most noteworthy pieces include a huanghuali altar table, late 20th century (est. $5,000-7,000), a pair of Ming style hardwood book cases, late 20th century (est. $6,000-8,000) and a pair of huanghuali and mixed wood yoke back chairs (est. $5,000-7,000).

There will also be an excellent assortment of over 150 lots of Chinese decorative porcelains on offer, with special emphasis on monochrome and blue and white wares for the domestic and export market. Of the monochrome pieces, there are a number of interesting Dehua figurines, most notably an unusual enameled porcelain figure of Guanyin and child on a lotus base from the 17th-18th century (est. $2,000-3,000). A selection of excellent polychrome enamels will also be available, including a pair of 19th century powder blue ground vases with famille verte reserve decoration bearing Kangxi marks (est. $3,000-5,000).

Many objects for the scholar’s table will also be featured, notably a selection of hard and soft wood brush pots. Among these is an interesting hardstone inlaid huanghuali brush pot with elegant figuring to the grain from the Connor Prairie Museum collection (est. $1,000-1,500).

A fine selection of over 40 decorative jades will be on offer as well, including an exceptional pieced and carved Mughal style footed bowl and cover from the late Qing dynasty (est. $3,000-5,000).

Continuing on the successes of the June sale, a broad selection of snuff bottles will be available from different collections. Of the 71 snuff bottle lots, there are a number of excellent single lots, including a dark grey nephrite jade snuff bottle from a Southern California collector (est. $3,000-4,000), a banded agate snuff bottle from the collection of the late Norman Stiller (est. $1,000-1,500), a blue overlaid clear glass snuff bottle (est. $2,000-3,000) and a small rock crystal snuff bottle (est. $2,000-3,000), both from the collection of Frederick Pierson.

There is a small but select group of 43 lots of Japanese art, over 20 of which are screens. Also on offer in the Japanese section will be Imari porcelain, metalwork, and lacquer. A selection of exceptional prints will be available, including some unusual color woodcuts by Chiura Obata (1885-1975), namely Setting Sun in the Sacramento Valley, 1930 (est. $3,000-5,000); and Clouds, Upper Lyell Trail, Lyell Fork, 1930 (est. $2,000-3,000).

The sale will also include a small selection of Korean ceramics, and Himalayan and Southeast Asian metal work.

Rare 14th century time-telling instrument, marked with badge of Richard II, to sell at Bonhams

LONDON.- Bonhams to auction one of the only known 14th century instruments, an exceedingly rare equal hour horary quadrant marked with the badge of King Richard II, at its Fine Clocks and Scientific Instrument Sale on 13 December 2011. Dated 1396, this extraordinary British time-telling mathematical instrument, which has come to light following its discovery in a shed in Queensland, Australia, has attracted a pre-sale estimate of £150,000 – 200,000. It is the second earliest dated British scientific instrument in existence, the earliest being the Chaucer astrolabe, dated 1326, housed in the British Museum.

This quadrant is the earliest of a similar group of three other quadrants dated 1398, 1399 and circa 1400 respectively, two of which can be found in the British Museum, and the other in the Dorset County Museum, Dorchester. Like the others, it is noteworthy for showing equal hours, in which the entire period from midnight to midnight is divided into twenty four equal parts. This technique had developed slowly during the 14th century. Indeed one of the earliest examples in England of an administrative record using equal hours occurs on the occasion of Richard II’s abdication on 30 September 1399 stated to have been ‘at about the ninth stroke of the clock’. On its reverse, the quadrant features a badge depicting a stag lying down wearing a coronet around its throat, which is associated with Richard II. The National Gallery’s famous altarpiece, The Wilton Diptych, portrays Richard II wearing a cape embroidered with an identical badge.

The quadrant is believed to have been discovered by an ancestor of the present owner in the mid 1800s in Northern England before its emigration to New Zealand and Australia. In the mid 1970s, its owner, Christopher Becker, as a child, re-discovered it in a bag of old pipe fittings in a shed on a family farm in Queensland, where it is thought to have been for 20 years. Becker’s father took it to the Museum of Queensland, who identified it as an astrolabe, and, from this time, it has remained in his personal collection.

In 2010, still vying to satisfy his curiosity, Becker came across an article on the internet by Silke Ackermann and John Cherry entitled ‘Richard II, John Holland and Three Medieval Quadrants.’ Recognising similarities between his quadrant and the three described, he contacted the British Museum, and the process of identification began.

Becker, who is available for interview, remarks on his decision to sell the quadrant: “I believe something of this significance deserves a little more recognition than just sitting on my desk as a personal reminder of what began a lifelong passion for collecting antiques.”

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Visual artists to converge in Tagum for the 5th Kalinawa Visual Arts Fest

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, Nov. 2 (PIA) –- From November 3 to November 11, the Kalinawa Art Foundation, the City Government of Tagum and City of Tagum Tourism Council will conduct the 5th Kalinawa Visual Arts Festival in Tagum City.
The opening ceremony for the exhibit is scheduled on Saturday, November 5 at 5:00 p.m at the Tagum Trade and Cultural Center. The exhibit will then be opened to the public daily from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. from Sunday November 6 through Friday November 11. The awarding ceremony will be on November 11 at 5:00 p.m.
The community sale will start on Sunday, November 6 up to Friday, November 11 2011 wherein art aficionados will have the chance to buy some of their favorite artworks which are displayed in the said exhibit.
This exhibition will showcase the artistry of the Indigenous People to promote a deeper appreciation and broader knowledge of this Filipino heritage.
The mission of the Kalinawa Art Foundation is to build on the inherent talent of the Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines by creating institutional mechanisms to develop a visual fine arts sector that celebrates their culture, promotes talent develops skills, facilitates training and builds cross cultural education.
For the competition, the categories are: Traditional—pieces based on Indigenous traditional knowledge and/or materials; Youth—open category for artists under 18 years of age; Open Two Dimensional—any two-dimensional pieces excluding photography, which can include but is not limited to paintings, drawings, tapestries and etchings; and Open Three Dimensional—any three-dimensional pieces, including but not limited to sculpture and pottery

Iran Book News Agency (IBNA) - 18th Century History of Philosophy released in Persian

IBNA: The original Emile Brehier's History of Philosophy contains seven volumes each concentrating on the Greek period, the Roman, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, the 17th Century, the 18th Century, the 19th Century, and one focusing on the period after the 19th century.

So far, volumes one to four are converted into Persian. The fifth volume focuses on the ideas of Newton, Locke, Barckley, Wolff, Vico, Montesquieu, Hume, Voltaire, Rousseau and Kant.
The content of the fifth volume is similar to the sixth volume of Copleston's book "From Wolff to Kant" except that Copleston's gives a larger space to introducing Kant's philosophy.

According to Brehier, the 18th century is a break from great divine systems of Malbranch, Leibnitz, or Spinoza to great philosophies of Schelling, Hegel or ‍Comtes.

Philosophical historiographers have not paid much attention to the 18th century and have not found but superficiality, and discontinuous non-original and prejudiced ideas.

The main characteristic of the 18th century is rapid decadence and then downfall of great philosophical systems that had attempted to unify natural philosophy with philosophy of the mind.

The first issue of "History of Philosophy – 18th Century" is recently released by Hermes Publications in 367 pages and 3000 copies.

Asian Art Museum Begins Bold New Direction with "Maharaja: The Splendor of India's Royal Courts" - San Francisco Art - The Exhibitionist

​Last year, the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco was in a dire situation. Faced with the possibility of bankruptcy, the museum curators decided it was time to move toward a bigger, bolder direction. The museum's newest exhibition, "Maharaja: The Splendor of India's Royal Courts," does just that as it showcases the ever-changing but always opulent lifestyle of the powerful rulers of India.

The exhibit, which opened Friday, is split into three sections and features a wide and diverse collection of paintings, royal portraits, weaponry, jewelry, and furniture from different eras of the maharajas, which is Sanskrit for "great kings."

​The first gallery of the exhibit focuses on the royal duties and decorum of maharajas. Maharajas were expected to have more refined tastes, a protocol that comes with surprise, considering the lavishness of the royal lifestyle: The exhibit is filled with intricately decorated robes and tapestries, luxurious jewelry and furnishings, and elaborate scenes of maharajas in royal processions that suggest otherwise. But behind their peacock-like display of opulence, maharajas were more than just grand public figures. Maharajas were also expected to be pious, to rule judiciously and generously, and to be skilled hunters and warriors.

In addition to displaying the wealth of the royal courts, the exhibit walks visitors through a historical journey of mahajaras and the political changes of India. The final portion of the exhibition begins with the fall of the Mughal Empire in the 1700s and moves on to show the influence of the British rule in the early 20th century. Here, we see the shift to Western influence: Maharajas dressed like English gentlemen, donned European accessories (Cartier being a major supplier to Indian rulers in the '20s), posed with English-language books in royal portraits, and also opted for the increasingly popular European convention of realism for portraiture.

Big and bold go hand in hand with "Maharaja," but the museum's new artistic direction is also seen beyond the rich artifacts of the exhibit itself. The museum commissioned Pixar animator Sanjay Patel to create vibrant, Disney-inspired Pop Art pieces as an homage to the show. Patel's work can be viewed on the museum exterior and will also be displayed in an show in November.

"Maharaja: The Splendor of India's Royal Courts" continues through April 2012 at theAsian Art Museum, 200 Larkin St., S.F. General admission is $17.

15th Century Xuande Dragon Charger Brings $241, 500 to Lead 888 Auctions’ Chinese Ceramics & ... - Artwire Press Release from ArtfixDaily.com

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Lot 502: 15th Century Chinese Ming Xuande MP Blue & White Reverse Dragon Charger realized $241, 500

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Lot 500: Rare Song Dynasty Guanyao celadon tripod dish covered with a pale grey glaze suffused with crackle realized a hammer price of $10, 890.

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Lot 614: Vintage Moutai Chinese grain wine (Circa 1970) realized $5, 445.

(ArtfixDaily.com)

Richmond Hill, Ont - Anchored by an excellent group of fine Chinese ceramics, meticulously casted bronze ware, and a superb collection of finely carved jade and Shoushan stone items, 888 Auctions' concluded its evening auction Chinese Ceramics and Asian Works of Art with a total of $619, 707.

The demand for Asian art seemed unhindered by the hard global economic downturn as the action on the floor, over the phone, and on the internet churned out bids at a fast and furious pace far into the night.

Led by lot 502, the 15th Century Xuande Period blue and white charger featuring a central dragon in reverse design and surrounded on the cavetto with a continuous band of lotus blooms borne on an undulating, achieved an astounding $241, 500.

In addition, great attention among the important group of Chinese ceramics was fixed on lot 500, a rare Song Dynasty Guanyao celadon tripod dish. Seemingly unremarkable and covered with a pale grey glaze suffused with crackle, the small dish crafted from the imperial kilns of the Song Dynasty realized a hammer price of $10, 890.

The evening sale featured a remarkably strong collection of finely carved jade. Led by lot 188, the 19th Century hu-shaped vase exceeded its high estimate of $16, 000 realizing $26, 520. Other jade carvings that managed to exceed its estimate high included lot 201, a charming white Hetian jade model of a fish; and lot 174, a pair of white Hetian jade belt buckles. The jade pieces sold for $1, 936 and $1, 694 respectively.

Bronze ware also had a strong showing in the evening. Headed by lot 284, the 15th Century Imperial Ming cloisonné censer achieved a remarkable $7, 670 despite the fact that it was missing its sister censer.

An 888 auction would not be complete without a collection of superbly carved rhinoceros horn items. After some furious bidding action, with the fall of the hammer, lot 601 realized $6, 630, six times its high estimate. Another item of note, lot 250, a wonderfully hollowed and bronze lined rhinoceros horn snuff bottle sold for $4, 130.

Incredibly enough, in spite of the excellent display of Chinese ceramics and Asian Works of Art, Moutai was the star of the collection of lots on display. With the auction house floor filled to capacity, it was no secret that many, if not all, had come to see the vintage bottles of Moutai on display. The unique bottles of grain wine would not disappoint as lot 605, a vintage Moutai Chinese grain wine (c. 1980) realized $2, 420. Several lots later, a sealed vintage Moutai (c. 1970) realized $5, 445 at lot 614.

Whether it be important Chinese ceramics, charmingly small and intricately crafted jade and shoushan stone carvings, or vintage Chinese Moutai that have been reaching six-digit hammer prices on the Chinese mainland, bidders eagerly await the next collection of fine Asian Art from 888 Auctions.

Featuring imperial jade carvings in its next auction, 888 Auctions is proud to announce its future auction, Fine Imperial Jade and Asian Works of Art, taking place on Thursday, November 24th, 2011. Preview in Richmond Hill begins Monday, Nov. 21st - 24h. For consignment inquiries or additional information, please contact 888 Auctions at 905.763.7201 or by email at info@888auctions.com.

Asia Tour Company Explores Sacred Himalayan Kingdoms, Wildlife in India and Sri Lanka

Three New Asia Tours Offer Exotic Winter Getaways by Asia Transpacific Journeys

BOULDER, CO--(Marketwire - Oct 26, 2011) - Asia Transpacific Journeys (www.AsiaTranspacific.com), the U.S.'s leading tour company for travel to Asia and the Pacific, has introduced three new tour packages which offer travelers unprecedented access to sacred sites and centuries-old rituals, face-to-face meetings with formerly endangered wildlife and Asia's secret island hotspot.

India: A Jungle Book Journey

India is famous for its dazzling cultural treasures. What is less well-known of the subcontinent is that it is home to some of Asia's greatest wildlife. This extraordinary, 17-day journey departs December 3, 2011 and March 3, 2012. It features naturalist-guided travel by foot, elephant back and 4WD to three of India's most important preserves; havens for the once nearly extinct, magnificent Bengal tiger as well as species as varied as one-horned Indian rhino, clouded leopard, wild Indian elephant, jackal, fox, bison and myriad bird species. Additional features ofIndia travel itinerary include:

• Gorgeous eco-lodges and upscale hotels
• Excellent chance of a wild tiger sighting
• Elephant-back rhino safari
• Access to remote areas of national parks
• Special meetings and discussions with conservationists
• Rickshaw ride through Old Delhi
• Magnificent fortresses, mosques and UNESCO sites
• Witness cultural performance within temple grounds

Sri Lanka: A Journey with the World Wildlife Fund

In its new adventure to Sri Lanka, Asia Transpacific Journeys teams up with the World Wildlife Fund to offer a wildlife tour to Sri Lanka, a seldom-explored spot that is considered one of South Asia's best-kept wildlife secrets.

Few destinations as geographically small as this island nation offer so many cultural treasures and such great wildlife biodiversity. Sri Lanka is considered a "super hotspot" for endemism and contains many unique plants, birds, reptiles and mammals. In fact, new species are still being discovered here. With a focus on the central and southern highlands, this March 2012 journey takes you to several national parks, and onto the calm seas off the southern coast.

This 14-day itinerary with departures beginning March 10, 2012 features the following components for a well-crafted wildlife tour of Sri Lanka:

• Explorations of four national parks, including an in-depth visit to Yala National Park to search for the elusive leopard.
• Several opportunities to see wild elephants.
• Whale-watching expeditions to look for blue and sperm whales, which congregate in high concentrations along the Sri Lankan coast at this time of year.
• Visits to important cultural spots, including the Rock Fortress at Sigiriya and the ancient city of Polonnaruwa.

Sacred Mountain Kingdoms: Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan

The mountain kingdoms of Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan, thousands of feet above sea-level, hidden amidst the world's highest peaks, stand literally and figuratively above the rest. A trip highlighting three UNESCO world heritage sites is ideal for those seeking adventure and spiritual perspective.

Departures for this 20-day excursion begin April 5, 2012 and travelers will enjoy an itinerary that includes:

• Tour leadership by an expert on Asian culture.
• Meet monks in remote monasteries.
• Sacred lake amid spectacular Himalayan vistas.
• Drive along the Friendship Highway, border crossing from Tibet to Nepal.
• Witness Hindu ablution ceremony at sacred river.
• Medieval towns housing preserved temples.
• Visit fertility temple where hopeful couples make offerings.

About Asia Transpacific Journeys

Since 1987, Asia Transpacific Journeys a Boulder, Colorado-based Asia travel company, has specialized in custom journeys and small-group trips to Asia and the South Pacific. A highly-astute staff committed to exceptional service and deeply insightful cultural interpretation based on first-person experience is part of what has made Asia Transpacific Journeys a Travel + Leisure 2011 "World's Best Tour Operator." The company has twice been honored with Travel + Leisure's "Global Vision Award" and is the Asia tour operator of choice for the American Museum of Natural History, The Harvard and Yale alumni associations, and the World Wildlife Fund.