The Art of Acquiring Art: Transforming a Collection

Dr. Robert D. Jacobsen

When Dr. Robert Jacobsen was hired to manage the Asian art collection at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in 1976, he inherited a small group of objects representing a few regions of the vast continent. Today he is curator of an extensive collection that includes art from many Asian cultures and is exhibited in space four times the size of the original galleries. What happened in the intervening years to transform the collection and to raise the profile of the Institute’s Asian art department? During this Curator’s Circle Conversation, Jacobsen described the remarkable developments and fortuitous events that led to these dramatic changes.

The majority of the Institute’s Asian art collection had been purchased by Minnesota philanthropist Alfred Pillsbury during the 1930s and 1940s. At the time, few books about Asian art were available in English, only a small number of dealers in the United States handled this type of art, and travel to Asia was expensive and difficult. Anyone collecting in those days had to rely on his eye and instinct to select among the limited number of items on the market.

Jacobsen was pleased with the quality of the small collection, but aware of its limited scope. After identifying the gaps in the Institute’s holdings and establishing priorities for purchase, he began an aggressive acquisition program. Financial support took time to build, but even with cash in hand he quickly learned that the art market determined his collecting directions. For example, during the 1980s, the art of Japan dominated the market and little else from Asia was available. It became clear that broadening the Asian collection would be a lengthy process.

Changes in the Market

In the 1990s a number of unforeseen developments created a climate favorable to increased acquisition of Asian art, especially Chinese art. The historic archaeological finds in China at the end of the previous decade had generated worldwide excitement and interest. Recognizing the enormous economic potential of tourism, the government of China began investing in the infrastructure to support greater visitation from abroad. Chinese art and artifacts flooded the art market, and, along with the genuine items, many fakes and forgeries as well.

To help private collectors and museum curators evaluate the now myriad offerings from China, dealers and auction houses developed catalogs of increasing sophistication. These publications were not only more informative, but more pleasing aesthetically, as black and white photographs gave way to color images and traditional formats were abandoned for visually appealing layouts. The enticing catalogs created enthusiasm among collecting audiences, but also attracted the attention of the news media, which expanded its coverage of the art world. Amid growing awareness of the art and antiquities of Asian cultures, museums began to organize exhibits of Asian art, and travel to China and other countries on the continent increased significantly.

Global developments also contributed to a more vibrant art market at this time. The financial sectors were booming and more money was available for art purchases. The widespread use of information technology transformed the way art was bought and sold. Internet advertising increased the visibility of items for sale and broadened the audience of potential buyers; improved telecommunications enabled bidders from around the world to compete for desirable art wherever and whenever it was offered for sale.

Good News for Minneapolis

In Minneapolis in the mid-1990s, a team of philanthropists, chief among them, Bruce and Ruth Dayton, became deeply committed to expanding the Institute’s Asian art collection. Benefiting from the strong financial markets, they were able to provide the resources necessary for Jacobsen to purchase many items of Chinese art including furniture, screens, paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, desktop accessories, etc. Perhaps the most remarkable additions to the collection were two complete rooms from old family estates in China: a 17th century reception hall and an 18th century scholar’s study. Expert mortise and tenon joinery (made without glue, nails or screws) facilitated the disassembly of these ancient rooms, their cleaning, transport, and reassembly at the Institute, where they now provide an authentic setting for many items of Chinese art.

Although China was the focus of many collecting efforts, Jacobsen also acquired art from many other Asian cultures. To display this rapidly growing collection, the Institute quadrupled the number of galleries dedicated to Asian art in 1998. Now, five years later, the museum is planning another expansion that will increase its exhibit space by 40%, a fact that stunned many members of the Denver audience.

Evaluating Chinese Hardwood Furniture

During his workshop Jacobsen focused on one of his favorite types of Chinese art: hardwood furniture of the late Ming and early Qing periods, approximately 1570 to 1800 A.D. By the late 1500s China already had a thriving furniture industry based on its native softwoods, but at this time it became possible to import hardwood timber, mainly huanghuali, from areas of Southeast Asia. Because of the expense involved, this wood was used only for upper-class homes and residences of the royal court. Unfortunately, the supply of this beautiful hardwood was short-lived; by 1700 it had been totally harvested, and the Chinese turned to their native hardwoods, especially zitan, for making furniture.

Carpenters and cabinet-makers loved working with hardwood; it was easier to carve than softwood and did not require lacquer because its density prevented insects from boring into the wood. In addition, the natural oils in hardwood provided a certain amount of waterproofing. Many exquisite pieces of furniture made from huanghuali and zitan still exist today because of this inherent protection from insects and water damage.

The workshop audience included many collectors of Chinese furniture who were especially interested in Jacobsen’s remarks about how to evaluate a potential purchase. He urged connoisseurs to look closely at the size of a piece, its symmetry and its proportions; the consistency of the wood grain and color on different surfaces; the completeness of component parts; the technical skill of the joinery; the overall consistency of the design; and the decorative details. One should be especially cautious about any item for sale that is in pristine condition; some amount of damage is to be expected on all furniture that has survived 200 to 400 years. Examining the underside of a piece is helpful in spotting wood replacement and restoration. Jacobsen believes that some amount of replacement or restoration is acceptable. The question is: what amount of restoration are you willing to accept, given the asking price?

Finally, a collector’s decision to purchase today should not be based only on his eye and instinct, as it may have been years ago. The buyer must be conversant with the scholarly literature to recognize furniture designs, materials, and construction techniques of various periods in Chinese history and to know the probable longevity of pieces from different eras.

Jacobsen’s enthusiasm for Chinese hardwood furniture was surpassed only by his passion for his department’s vastly improved and expanded collection. Transformed by the strategic purchase of hundreds of items from many Asian cultures, it is exhibited in gallery space he could only dream about 27 years ago. These dramatic changes, the result of unexpected developments at the local, national, and international levels, will enrich the museum experience for visitors to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts for many years to come.


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