Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 6. (Budapest, 1963)
HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM - MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - F. Takáts, Zoltán: Some Notes to the Bronzes of the Chinese Collection II
ZOLTÁN FELVINCZI TAKÁTS SOME NOTES TO THE BRONZES OF THE CHINESE COLLECTION II. The late Ferenc Hopp, founder of the Museum of Eastern Asiatic Arts, preferred, to collect lacquer works. An optician by profession, his eyes were trained to precise observation and detail, as a geographer and world traveller he had a predilection for Japan, both the land and people. He lived in the period of the sudden growth of the country of the Rising Sun. The most delightful craft of its people captured him. He saw in it a reflection of the country's beauty. Nevertheless he did not style himself an art collector; he always referred to his art-objects as „curios". For the most part Chinese bronzes were not more than bibelots to him. He never appreciated their historical and artistical importance, but his sense of quality often helped him purchase objects of serious artistic value. Thus the largest bronze object among his acquisitions, the figure of Fu Shen on the back of a mule 1 (Fig. 1 a —b), bought from Sänger, a dealer in Far Eastern art in Hamburg, is, in every respect, a notable work of art. A Taoistic figure, it represents the god of luck, holding the symbolical ju-i in his left hand. Cast in two pieces, the figure can be lifted from the back of his mule. The animal's body is hollowed for containing incense. It is interesting to find an opening on the back of the rider which permits the fumes to escape. All experts agreed, myself included, in dating this work to the age of Ming: but now, upon closer examination I became convinced that, like its parallel, published in N° 103 of the Kokka, it is a Sung period work. Let us take the head (Fig. 1) of the deity first of all. In general it is much more stylised and spiritualised than Ming works used to be. The simplification of the musculature of the face to portray brightness and have an intelligent expression, with parted lips speaks rather for the silver age of Chinese art than for the works of the Ming period. The face of this very honorable person combines gentle sentiment and superior intellect, having an overpowering expression without any trace of forcibleness. The half-closed eyes, parted mouth and the absolutely smooth and clear forehead are in complete harmony, convincing us of inner peace and inner sight. The decorative motives are also stylistically divergent: a large angular lei wen on the border of the caparison, simple rings and strings ending in simple spirals on the crown and the robe. We have to feel in them a rather archaistic air, without tending to naturalism. Ming decoration tends toward magnificence. There is no trace of it here: on the contrary a system of perfect noble conservative economy prevails.
