The cultural heritage of our community has recently been enriched by the gift of the outstanding art collection of Alfred Fiske Pillsbury to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. One of the most important bequests ever made to the Institute, these collections, consisting of more than one thousand objects, establish Minneapolis as one of the world centers for the study of the arts of the East.The addition of such rich collections to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts is of tremendous significance. But for Mr. Pillsbury's many friends and for the members of the Society of Fine Arts, the Institute's good fortune will be overcast by sorrow for the passing of one who so willingly and faithfully served the Society of Fine Arts over a period of thirty years, first as Treasurer, then as President, and finally as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. His collections will stand as an enduring memorial, but his wise counsel and his daily visits to the Institute will be missed.Mr. Pillsbury's bequest is an affirmation of good citizenship which will come as no surprise to those who knew his interest in the arts and his love of our community. He was well known as a leader in the civic, business, cultural and religious life of Minneapolis. His many years of service to the city as a member of the Park Board, as well as his enlightened interest in and contribution to the growth of the Art Institute, have long been known.The wide extent of his activities as a collector is not so well known. Many may have enjoyed their visits to the Oriental galleries at the Institute without fully realizing that the larger part of the Oriental collections exhibited there were generously lent by Mr. Pillsbury. In recent years, the ancient Chinese bronzes have become world-famous, while his collections in other fields of Oriental and Near Eastern art have been constantly on demand as loans for special exhibitions in museums throughout the country. Guided by an extraordinary eye for form and color, and, on the whole, less interested in scholarly and archaeological considerations, Mr. Pillsbury assembled collections that reflect his instinctive and discriminating taste.To remind our members of the scope of the Pillsbury collections and Mr. Pillsbury's activities as a collector, it seems appropriate at this time to reprint, in part, an article written by Mrs. Edward H. Sirich on the occasion of Mr. Pillsbury's appointment to the office of Chairman of the Board of Trustees."No one is more modest in the role of collector than Mr. Pillsbury. In assembling the archaic jades, the Wei and T'ang tomb figurines and T'ang pottery, the monochrome porcelains, the Persian pottery, the Khmer Buddhist sculpture, and finally the great Chinese ritual bronzes, he has given himself up to a pleasure that is in no sense purely selfish since a great part of his enjoyment has come from sharing the fruits of his collecting with others. His generous long-term loans to the Art Institute have made these beautiful-and, in this region, rarely encountered-objects available to all that care to look at them. In a way, also, they make Mr. Pillsbury the friend of everyone who knows his treasures because they reflect to an unusual degree the personality of the man who assembled them. It is no accident that they are of uniformly high quality; that they are subtle and understated; that they reveal a profound feeling for form and color; and that they are spiced by a sly humor that is the more effective for its infrequent intrusion. In assembling his own collections Mr. Pillsbury has given free reign to his personal tastes; a liberty he never permitted himself as President of the Society of Fine Arts. In doing so he has shown himself to be possessed of the qualities he admires so much in the works he has collected; qualities which, strangely enough, are to be found almost exclusively in the arts of the East: economy of expression, an intense awareness of form, and a something beneath the surface which lures the beholder to special, happy discoveries."Mr. Pillsbury's interest in oriental art began with a trip to the Orient following the first World War. He admits that he was captivated by the strange beauty of the things he saw there, and it is a tribute to his discrimination that the first objects he began seriously to collect were early Chinese jades. He started with jades of the Han period, but soon put these aside for the pendants and ornaments of Chou and, later, the austere symbol of rank, discs, weapons, and the enchanting animals of Shang. To the average eye these make no quick appeal. The lovely pale ivory of a chicken-bone jade dagger; the rare mottled blue of a sceptre; the watery, blue-flecked green of a symbol of rank, or the mat white of a graceful belt hook, are outside the experience of many Westerners in the field of jade. But they ripen with acquaintance, bringing new and unexpected pleasure. Added to the charm of color are those of form and texture, so that in the end the constant observer discovers in himself a small, fierce mania for these curious and beautiful objects. There are some three hundred of them in the collection which Mr. Pillsbury was building in the twenty years from 1918 to 1938."During this time, beginning about 1925 and ending in 1932, Mr. Pillsbury assembled three other collections: the T'ang potteries and Wei and T'ang tomb figurines, the Chinese monochrome porcelains, and the Persian potteries. The T'ang potteries include fine examples of glazed ware in a variety of forms: bowls in soft blue and white, a pale green iridescent bottle, a standing hound, head lifted, with a deep blue glaze, and a typical T'ang ewer with a blue and yellow glaze."The Wei and T'ang tomb potteries represent a more casual art, models made in large numbers for use in tombs and thus of more summary execution. Nevertheless, the camels, horses, animal figures representing sign of the zodiac, oxen, birds, court ladies, musicians, dancing girls, wrestlers, and guards have a special charm. These figurines, whose informal treatment results in an impressionistic rendering of form lacking in more sophisticated arts, were placed in tombs to accompany the deceased on his journey to the other world. They are almost always unglazed but frequently show traces of pigment: red, blue, green. Among the most engaging in Mr. Pillsbury's collection are a diminutive pair of wrestlers of the Wei period whose comic antics bring a smile to the most dour face, and a T'ang princess accompanied by a musician and a dancing girl who bows with reverent grace."The monochrome porcelains of the K'ang His, Yung Chêng, and Ch'ien Lung period illustrate quite another, and very brilliant, achievement of Chinese ceramic art. This collection of some sixty pieces is notable for the two qualities Mr. Pillsbury admires above all others: form and color. Assembling it must have afforded him, as it affords all observers, a sensuous pleasure that is equaled, in his collections, only by the archaic jades. Among the most beautiful pieces are a peachbloom amphora, and imperial yellow gallipot, and apple green bottle, and a clair de lune amphora."The Persian potteries, also including about sixty pieces, introduce a different and beguiling note into the Pillsbury collections. Although it is not a large group it includes examples of almost all the well-known types: lustre painted ware from Rayy; under and over-glaze painted bowls from Rayy and Sava; an incised white-glaze bowl of the tenth century; black and blue painted bowls and plates from Kashan; a pale turquoise bowl decorated in gold relief, and many others. Like most Persian works of art, these potteries illustrate the meticulous fashion in which the potter suited the character and spirit of his design to his material. He never demanded more of the substance than it could give. Thus there it is, in these bowls and plates and ewers, a happy marriage of design to material that enhances the medium, no matter how humble. The Persian potteries are pure delight-gay but restrained, cool and self-contained."The Khmer and Siamese sculptures, about fifteen large and twenty small pieces, which captured Mr. Pillsbury's interest about 1932, represent his only incursion into the field of pure sculpture. The remote, contemplative quality of these bronze and sandstone figures from Cambodia and Siam exercised a strong appeal for him; so strong, in fact, that two seated Buddhas and one head of a Bodhisattva are the only pieces of his large collection that he has kept in his home. They, too, are objects that are strange and sometimes forbidding to the western eye, but the observer who responds to them will often find them rewarding beyond all other works of art."Perhaps the transition from Khmer sculpture to the enigmatic bronze ritual vessels of China was the natural last step for Mr. Pillsbury to take in the course of his years of collecting. Certainly it has been the most satisfying to him and one which has revealed to the highest degree his taste and discrimination. The monumental conception, the miraculously controlled power, the mastery of design, and the flawless workmanship of these vessels represent the ultimate in Chinese art. In bringing them to Minneapolis; in sharing them at the Art Institute with visitors from all over the world, Mr. Pillsbury has bestowed the ultimate favor in his long and fruitful career as a collector."The Pillsbury collections are now in the safekeeping of the Art Institute, where they will be enjoyed by many coming generations. The possession of such a treasure places an obligation upon the community. Perhaps the best expression of our gratitude will be the humble study and ultimately the full appreciation of these magnificent examples of the arts of the East.A portion of the Pillsbury collections is presently on display at the Institute in the galleries on the top floor of the South wing. A comprehensive memorial exhibition is planned for the fall of 1950.Referenced Works of ArtCover. Alfred F. Pillsbury. Detail from a portrait by Frances Cranmer Greenman, painted in 1936

1. Bronze Tiger. Chinese, Middle Chou
2. Bronze Horses. Chinese, Shang
3. Bronze Vase Support. Chinese, Late Chou
4. Pottery Bowl. Persian, Rayy, XIII century
5. Buster Ewer. Persian, Rayy, XIII century
6. Pottery Bowl. Persian, Rayy, XIII century
7. Bronze Seated Buddha. Khmer, XII century
8. Ornaments. Persian, X-I centuries, B.C.
9. Head of Boddhisattva. Khmer, XII century
10. Bronze Ritual Vessel. Chinese, Late Chou
11. Bronze Ritual Vessel. Chinese, Shang
12. Bronze Ritual Basin. Chinese, Late Chou

New lustre has been given the Alfred F. Pillsbury collection of Chinese bronzes, already notable for its quality and scope, through the addition of six bronzes of the Shang and late Chou periods. Since its inception this collection had been remarkable for its peculiarly personal character, and for the manner in which it reflects Mr. Pillsbury’s taste. That character is in no way lessened by the fact that the most recent additions lean to late rather than to the early examples in which the collection is so rich. In his desire to assemble as representative a group of Chinese bronzes as possible, Mr. Pillsbury has not allowed personal preference to bar examples that illustrate other aspects of this art, whether or not they conform to his own idea of what is most appealing in Chinese bronzes. Thus the latest additions reveal, in the preponderance of late Chou pieces, in the large size of two of the examples, and in the inclusion of a human figure, some slight departure from the previous trend. In quality, however, as well as in the presence of two of the animals for which the Pillsbury collection is famous, the new group maintains admirably the special character that has always distinguished this collection. Aficionados of Chinese bronzes will find much to delight them in the new pieces now on display with the collection that Mr. Pillsbury has so generously shared with other lovers of this exciting and beautiful art.The new group includes a large chia of the Shang period, a large bell of the tueh type, a hu inlaid with silver and gold, a fantastic animal, a standing buffalo, and the kneeling figure of a man, all of the late Chou period.The chia is a handsome example of the Shang style, with a vigorous treatment of form and décor. The vessel, measuring ten and a half inches over all, stands on four blade legs decorated with spirals and vertical, confronted dragons. The four sides of the rectangular body carry monster masks formed of confronted dragons of which the hindquarters of those on the long sides are fully developed. Above this main area is a narrow border of gaping dragons moving stealthily around the vessel. This band is edged with rising blades filled with spirals. The handle of one side of the body is finished with a ram’s head where it joins the neck, and the two uprights emerging from the rim on the short ends terminate in roof-like caps decorated with rising blades and spirals. The decoration is in low relief, with shallow flanges dividing the main areas on three sides, and the patina is a soft grey-green. There is an inscription of one character in the bottom. This chia is a powerful and striking piece that provides an interesting comparison with a smaller example in the same style acquired by Mr. Pillsbury in 1938. It has, partly because of its size and proportion, tremendous style—even a slight swagger—that is unusually arresting.The bell in this recent group introduces the tueh type hitherto missing. It, too, is a large piece, measuring twenty-three inches. The decoration of two bands of interlaced dragons flanked by bands of plain bosses in high relief is characteristic. The wide, shaped band at the bottom carries a monster mask whose horns are gripped by winged, bird-headed dragons that twist and twine their length through the flanking area. The dot filling around the heads and feet, and the striations indicating feathers on the wings, are familiar late Chou elements in the décor. The tall handle is decorated with bands of interlaced dragons similar to those on the body of the bell, and is finished at the base with a tiger that braces its feet against the handle as it turns back on itself to bite its tail. The top of the bell carries two pair of confronted dragons with sinuous, twisted bodies. The patina is brownish-green with patches of blue, This bell is a particularly interesting addition to the collection inasmuch as it introduces a second important type. It provides, moreover, a worthy companion for Mr. Pillsbury’s large chung.The hu which has come into the Pillsbury collection is a famous piece, one of the inlaid bronzes found in Chin Ts’un that have provoked a reappraisal of the entire question of inlaid bronzes. Not many years ago bronzes of this type were thought to be no older than Han. With the publication of Tombs of Old Lo-Yang by Bishop White, however, it became apparent that bronzes inlaid with gold and silver certainly pre-dated the Han period. In an extensive examination of the material at hand Professor J. G. Anderson gave evidence, in The Goldsmith in Ancient China, published in the Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in 1935, that bronzes inlaid with gold and silver began to be made in some quantity during the late Chou (Huai) period. One of the points of departure in Professor Anderson’s study was a large bronze bowl included in Bishop White’s disclosure of finds from the Lo-Yang tombs. The body of the bowl is decorated in low relief with the fine spirals, hooks, and volutes that are among the most characteristic elements of the late Chou style. The two narrow upper borders are decorated with a geometric pattern of diagonal bands, volutes, and triangles inlaid with gold and copper. That this geometric pattern is late Chou in origin is proved by its appearance on the handles of the famous Piao bells, dated 550 B.C.The inlaid hu now in the Pillsbury collection is one of the most celebrated and best-preserved pieces of its kind. It is about ten inches high and, with the exception of three narrow bands, is entirely decorated with the patterns of volute and triangle, diagonal and volute, quadruple volute, and T-figure set forth by Professor Anderson as the decorative elements most frequently encountered in inlaid bronzes. The two upper bands of the body are inlaid with silver in a design of diagonals and volutes into which the T-figure is incorporated at intervals at both the top and bottom of the band. The lower band carries a pattern of large heart-shaped forms from which spring involved volute and T-figures. This same heart-shaped motive, which may be the late Chou interpretation of the Shang blade, occurs also on the covered ting inlaid with silver acquired by Mr. Pillsbury in 1939. The foot and lower neckbands of the hu carry a variation of the quadruple volute in silver, and the top neckband the volute and triangle inlaid with both gold and silver. Two movable ring handles, decorated with running volutes inlaid with silver, are attached to the shoulders of the vessel by silver monster masks. It appears, from such examination as has been made, that the inlay of this vessel was accomplished by means of thin sheets of silver and gold cut to conform to the areas of the design. The patina is brown with pronounced areas of green and, in the lower body and foot bands, of red. It is a beautiful example of late Chou bronze art—a star of first magnitude.The first animal in this group takes one, but not ignobly, from the sublime to the enchantingly absurd. The amusing little creature on page 64 is of very doubtful parentage. However, his hooves indicate that there was a horse somewhere in his background. His eight inches of mock ferocity would not deceive a child, but it does add to his charm. The haunches are decorated with large scrolls and spirals, and the fetlocks are indicated by spirals filled with dots and striations. The ears, too, are dot filled, and the outsize eyebrows topping the turquoise eyes repeat the striated pattern of the front fetlock. Turquoise inlay appears also one the shoulders, and the little creature wears, jauntily enough, a necklace of shells. His tail, to complete his fantastic character, is formed of a snake.The buffalo is quite a different matter. It is a clumsy beast, reminiscent in its naturalistic treatment of Mr. Pillsbury’s reclining buffalo. The squat body is covered with large scrolls. The horns lie flat to the head, and on the square, stupid face is an expression that recalls Leconte de Lisle’s “songe intérieure qu’ils n’achèvent jamais.” There is something quite moving in the naïve and awkward character of this beast which, judging from the socket on the back, was designed to serve as some sort of support. A similar buffalo, but with the head turned to the right, was at one time in the Stoclet collection. A third was in a Danish collection, and a fourth belonged to Mr. Loo.The kneeling figure of a man, reproduced on page 65, is the first bronze of its kind to appear in the Pillsbury collection. It is an impressive figure, eleven and a half inches high, clothed in Mongolian dress that swathes the lower part of the body completely. The face is broad with strongly modeled features and the head is covered with a flat cap secured by a band passing under the chin. Apparently this represents an attendant of some kind. The position of the figure, with a sup held out in both hands, indicates an offering to someone of importance. The spirit of devotion is marvelously realized, from the expression of the face to the modeling of the body, which is executed with a primitive vigor that places this piece, despite its small size, in the class of true sculpture. This bronze, formerly in the Eumorfopoulos collection, has been attributed to the late Chou period.Looking at these examples of Chinese bronze art, so widely varies in their appeal, the observer cannot help but be impressed anew by the achievements of the Chinese during the early periods of their civilization. Chinese bronzes are not for everyone, but for those who love them there could be no more magnificent group than that the Art Institute is privileged to show through the generosity of Mr. Pillsbury.Referenced Works of Art

1. Large bronze Chia with decoration of dragons and monster masks
   Chinese, Shang (1766-1122 B.C.). Lent by Alfred F. Pillsbury
2. Large bronze bell (Tueh). Chinese, late Chou
   A recent addition to the Alfred F. Pillsbury Collection
3. Bronze vessel decorated with geometric designs inlaid in silver and gold. Chinese, late Chou period. Lent by Alfred F. Pillsbury
4. Fantastic animal decorated with scrolls and turquoise inlay on head and haunches. Chinese, late Chou period. Lent by Alfred F. Pillsbury
5. Kneeling figure wearing Mongolian dress
   Chinese, late Chou. Lent by Alfred F. Pillsbury
6. Standing bronze buffalo with a pattern of large scrolls on the body
   Chinese, late Chou period. Lent by Alfred F. Pillsbury