A frenzy for Chinese art

The great China investment boom has many facets. A fortnight ago at a Sotheby’s sale in Hong Kong of Chinese works of art, wealthy mainland collectors and their representatives became so excitable during the bidding that along with the rest of the audience they ended up splurging almost £30 million. Historical works of art from the Qianlong Reign attracted particular attention: one of the highlights of the sale was an ‘Extraordinary Group of Seven Jade Imperial Archer’s Rings’ along with its original cinnabar box and cover, which sold for just over £3 million. ‘The Qianlong emperor (1736–1795) was something of a Renaissance man,’ says Henry Howard-Sneyd, managing director of Sotheby’s Asia. ‘He took so much interest in his art collection that he wrote poems about it and involved himself personally in it. So any works linked to that emperor have become particularly sought after.’

Archer’s rings are jade cylinders worn on the thumb by an archer to avoid slicing the skin on the bowstring. Originally they were used by Manchu horsemen who performed archery from the saddle, but in more recent times the rings became more of an affectation, which had a powerful symbolism for the ruling elite. ‘These particular thumb rings have poems inscribed on them which reflect his philosophy as a ruler. The dates of the poems cover a 30-year period, so they’re interesting in that they reveal his changing thoughts about life as an emperor, beginning very much in a martial spirit, and ending in a more thoughtful and philosophical tone about what it means to be a ruler.’