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Looking at Patronage: Recent Donations of Asian Art

Over the past five years the Gallery has received an abundance of Asian art donations worth well over one million dollars! These, combined with earlier donations, have made our Asian art collection the second most comprehensive Asian collection in Canada, second only to the Royal Ontario Museum. The gifts represent a wide range of cultures, media and time periods.

While there are far too many to mention all of them, the Gallery would like to celebrate the donations of several long-standing and very generous patrons:

Marjorie and Fraser Finlayson of Toronto have donated ancient Nepalese/Tibetan and Thai Buddhist sculptures, a Japanese painting, and an amazing tomb figurine of a 7th century prancing horse. Dorothy and the late Bruce Brown of Victoria have donated beautiful Chinese ivories and ceramics. The late Rev. Robert Miller of Victoria has donated Chinese and Japanese paintings, Chinese ivories, and a Thai bronze Buddha head. Mr. and Mrs. James Langley of Ottawa have donated a large number of Japanese ukiyo-e prints.

Mr. Arthur Menzies of Ottawa has donated his father’s collection of ancient Chinese bronzes, jades, ceramics, an important painting of British sailors in China and old textiles. Gordon Newcombe and Patricia Butler as well as James Menzies Hummel and the late Marion Hummel, all of Ontario, have also donated important Chinese jades, bronzes and ceramics from the Rev. James M. Menzies collection. Brian S. McElney from Bath England continues to donate a wide variety of ancient Chinese artifacts and modern Chinese paintings.

Carol Peckham of San Francisco has donated huge amounts of Chinese ceramics (Yixing and Shiwan wares). The Low-Beer Family of Vancouver has given some very important Chinese ceramics to the collection. Helen Sawyer of Victoria has given a large number of Chinese snuff bottles. Arnold Frenzel of Waterloo has donated numerous Japanese paintings and a Japanese 10th century wooden statue. Susan Swann has donated numerous Chinese calligraphies, ceramics and bronzes.

Hy Eiley of Toronto has donated numerous opium boxes. Dr. and Mrs. Morris Schumiatcher of Regina have donated a number of Japanese prints and Indian miniatures. The late Betty Isherstadt of Toronto has donated a large number of ancient Chinese bronzes and jades. Judy Patt of Victoria has donated Japanese Zen paintings.

Stephen Lowe paintings have been given by Cora E. Shaw and the Lowe family of Victoria. Japanese prints have been purchased with donations given in memory of the late Theo Wiggan and Joan Lajeunesse of Victoria. THis list cannot hope to be comprehensive, considering the generosity our patrons have shown us, so please accept our apologies for any items not listed here.