In 1935, the Royal Academy of Arts in London staged what remains one of the most ambitious exhibitions of Chinese art ever mounted. The International Exhibition of Chinese Art brought together more than 3,000 works spanning thousands of years, from imperial masterpieces to national treasures, shaping how Chinese art was understood in the West.
Nearly a century later, Christie's is revisiting that landmark moment in Hong Kong. Presented in collaboration with the renowned dealer Daniel Eskenazi, The Royal Academy International Exhibition of Chinese Art 1935–36: A Commemorative Tribute will bring 15 rare works from the original show back into public view. Held during Hong Kong Asian Art Week, it will run from 22 October to 6 November 2026 at Christie's Asia Pacific headquarters at The Henderson.
The exhibition also marks the launch of 1935 The International Exhibition of Chinese Art, a new six-volume scholarly work published by Daniel Eskenazi and authored by Regina Krahl and Sarah Wong. Fully illustrated and bilingual in English and Chinese, it documents every object shown in the original exhibition, shedding new light on its scale, context, and cultural significance.
Ahead of the exhibition and book launch, The Value spoke with Daniel Eskenazi about the making of the publication, the rediscovered photographic archive behind it, and why the 1935–36 exhibition still resonates today.
The commemorative exhibition will be held this autumn at Christie’s Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong
Daniel Eskenazi, a renowned dealer in Chinese art
What inspired this major six-volume publication project, and why revisit the 1935 –36 International Exhibition of Chinese Art today? What makes this exhibition so pivotal in the global understanding of Chinese art?
The project actually began many years before I became involved. Around fifteen years ago, Francis Ryan was looking for postcards produced for the original exhibition. During that search he discovered the photographic company AC Cooper that had documented the exhibition in 1935, and remarkably, the original glass negatives had survived.
Mr Ryan brought this discovery to the attention of scholar Regina Krahl, who set about trying to get this extraordinary archive into a publication. More than two years ago, as the project hadn’t moved forward, they invited me to take it on, and I accepted instantly.
The 1935–36 exhibition remains unparalleled. In more than three decades working in Chinese art, I have never encountered anything comparable. It brought together around 3,000 objects spanning every major period—from the Neolithic era to the Qing dynasty—and every artistic medium imaginable. More than 800 works were lent directly by China, many of them national treasures.
What makes the story so remarkable is the context. This was not simply an exhibition; it was an extraordinary diplomatic achievement during a period of profound international uncertainty.
Figures such as Sir Percival David and George Eumorfopoulos travelled extensively to assemble the exhibition, while the British government even dispatched a Royal Navy vessel to transport the treasures to help with indemnity requests from China. It demonstrated an international commitment to cultural exchange that was unprecedented.
For many visitors, this was their first meaningful encounter with Chinese civilisation through its art. The exhibition transformed public understanding and showed how museums, collectors, scholars and governments could work together. I hope this publication carries that same spirit today—building bridges through culture.
Installation view of the original 1935 exhibition in London
Objects lent by the Republican government were transported to Britain under escort by a Royal Navy vessel
What do the newly discovered negatives reveal about the original exhibition, and how does their significance compare with previously published photographs or documentation?
The original photographer, AC Cooper, produced nearly 3,000 large-format negatives, an extraordinary technical achievement for the time. Yet the small exhibition handbook did not illustrate all the images, and the ones it did were at a very modest size.
Some photographs were probably omitted for practical reasons. The organisers were working under immense pressure, and not every object could be included in the publication. Discovering these forgotten negatives allows us to include them in this more complete publication.
Equally important is how we’ve reorganised the material. The original handbook followed the sequence of the galleries, so bronzes, paintings and sculpture appeared wherever they happened to be displayed. Our publication arranges the works systematically by category and chronology, making it a genuine reference work rather than simply a visitor’s guide. This huge task was carried out by Regina and Sarah.
The larger reproductions also transform the experience. One can now study inscriptions, read calligraphy, examine decorative details on Shang bronzes and appreciate the objects in ways that were impossible before.
Almost a century of scholarship has also changed our understanding. Some dates and attributions have been revised, and for the first time the publication is fully bilingual in English and Chinese. Wherever possible, we’ve also traced the present locations of the objects, whether they remain in museums or have passed through private collections.
The original catalogue for the 1935 exhibition
The newly published six-volume scholarly publication
For over a century, the Eskenazi family has been dedicated to the study, promotion and dissemination of Chinese art. What has driven this enduring mission, and what do you see as its greatest legacy?
Our family’s involvement actually predates the 1935 exhibition. It began in Italy during the 1920s, and when my father established Eskenazi in 1960, he chose to concentrate almost exclusively on Chinese art.
From the beginning, our philosophy has been straightforward: acquire the finest works possible and research them as thoroughly as possible. Today, we maintain what is probably the largest private library devoted to Chinese art, with over 25,000 volumes.
My late mother made an equally remarkable contribution. She learned to read, write and speak Chinese, translating important archaeological and art-historical publications that were otherwise inaccessible to Western scholars. We were also among the first Western dealers to publish bilingual catalogues in the early 1980s, a practice that later became standard across the field.
Over the decades, we’ve helped build important museum collections around the world, working with more than eighty institutions. Perhaps our greatest legacy lies in our publications. We’ve produced around one hundred catalogues, and this six-volume work continues that commitment to scholarship.
A highly important imperial early Ming cinnabar lacquer 'phoenix' bowlstand, Yongle six-character mark and of the period (1403-1425) | One of the highlights of the commemorative exhibition
You are known not only as a dealer, but also as an artist. Beyond the scholarly content, how did you approach the design, layout and visual presentation of the books?
We wanted the design to respect the historical material while making it genuinely useful for modern readers. The original photographs were never intended as art photography; they were documentary records for a guidebook.
Working with CA Design in Hong Kong, we chose a restrained approach, printing the archival photographs in duotone while preserving the original captions exactly as they appeared in 1935. Integrating the historical text alongside new English and Chinese scholarship required a balancing act in design.
Our priority, however, has always been usability rather than visual spectacle. This is fundamentally a reference work—almost an encyclopaedia.
The first volume is devoted entirely to the history of the exhibition itself: the international context, its reception in China and Britain, the lenders, the organisers and the remarkable story behind its creation. The remaining volumes document the objects systematically.
A magnificent imperial white jade 'dragon' vase and cover, Qianlong period (1736-1795) | One of the highlights of the commemorative exhibition
Looking from today’s perspective, how would you assess the global influence of Chinese art, and what underpins the enduring resonance of Chinese culture?
Chinese art is unique because it represents one of the world’s longest continuous cultures. Within it you find every possible aesthetic—from simplicity to richness, from spirituality to practicality, from refinement to innovation.
The 1935 exhibition profoundly influenced Western taste. It affected fashion, design and the decorative arts. Blue-and-white porcelain, for example, has become part of everyday life around the world.
Yet I believe we’ve only begun to appreciate the depth of Chinese culture. Every generation discovers something new, whether in the elegance of a Warring States bronze fitting or the subtle beauty of a celadon glaze.
Digital technology has made these works more accessible than ever, but it cannot replace the experience of standing before an object or holding it in your hands. The moment you hold an ancient bowl, you share a physical connection with the potter who made it centuries ago. That human connection is impossible to reproduce on a screen, and it is ultimately what makes Chinese art so enduringly powerful.
An exceptionally rare and important imperial Beijing enamel melon-shaped teapot and cover, Qianlong four-character mark in blue enamel and of the period (1736-1795) | One of the highlights of the commemorative exhibition
Daniel mentioned that the upcoming exhibition is expected to include 10 to 20 objects. Are there any works you can share at this stage?
Marco Almeida (Head of Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art): I think Daniel Eskenazi has been very modest. He's been helping us immensely in securing some of the major pieces for the exhibition. And of course, we're trying to make sure that it's a microcosm of the actual 1935 exhibition. We're trying to find representative objects from all categories. It's a bold statement, but this is what we're trying to do, and so far, it's going very well.
We have been through negotiations with quite a few lenders, but I'm happy to confirm that we have already secured 15 very important pieces. They're not only important historically, but they're also very beautiful, because this is something that we want to do—we want people to come in, maybe without any understanding of Chinese art, and they’ll walk past it, want to take a second glance, and learn more about it.
A highly important imperial early Ming cinnabar lacquer 'phoenix' bowlstand, Yongle six-character mark and of the period | Formerly in the renowned collection of Sir Percival David, this exceptional work is regarded as one of the finest surviving examples of imperial carved lacquer. Richly carved with phoenixes amidst scrolling lotus blooms, the bowlstand exemplifies the extraordinary craftsmanship of the Yongle period, which is widely regarded by connoisseurs as the apogee of lacquer carving. Only two other identical Yongle-marked bowlstands are known, both preserved in museum collections.
A magnificent imperial white jade 'dragon' vase and cover, Qianlong period | Carved from jade of an exceptionally even white tone, the vase is richly decorated with full-faced dragons, flaming pearls and the Eight Buddhist Emblems (bajixiang), reflecting the technical sophistication and symbolic complexity of Qing imperial craftsmanship. Comparable examples are preserved in the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Tianjin Museum.
An exceptionally rare and important imperial Beijing enamel melon-shaped teapot and cover, Qianlong four-character mark in blue enamel and of the period | One of only three known examples and the only example of its type remaining in private hands. The teapot ranks among the most significant surviving works from the Imperial Beijing Enamel Workshops of the early Qianlong period. Richly decorated with landscape scenes, seasonal flowers and butterflies, it combines technical perfection with exceptional painterly refinement. Archival records further confirm that similarly decorated melon-shaped enamel teapots were produced for the Qianlong Emperor, underscoring the work's exceptional rarity, imperial status, and art historical significance.
The Royal Academy International Exhibition of Chinese Art 1935–36: A Commemorative Tribute
Venue: Christie’s Asia Pacific headquarters
Address: The Henderson, 2 Murray Road, Central, Hong Kong
Date: 22 October - 6 November 2026