Asian Works of Art

Provenance:

Property from the RenLu Collection, Los Angeles, California.

來源：

加州洛杉磯潤廬珍藏。 

The RenLu Collection of Chinese Art (Part 2)

During the March New York Asia Week, we had the pleasure of presenting fifty exquisitely crafted Chinese gold and silver objects from the RenLu Collection—the personal treasures of Los Angeles-based furniture designer Robert Kuo. The March auction showcased a stunning array of hair ornaments, earrings, necklaces, bangles, and garment hooks, highlighting the exceptional craftsmanship of ancient Chinese goldsmiths—whose meticulous artistry continues to inspire. This fall, we are delighted to offer additional pieces from the RenLu Collection, which expands beyond gold and silver to include scholar’s objects, porcelain, and jade, promising another captivating offering.

Robert Kuo: Art, Design, and Collecting

Born in Beijing and raised in Taiwan, Robert Kuo grew up in a family steeped in artistic tradition. His father, Ming-Chiao Kuo (1917-2014), was a revered painter and cloisonné artist whose works were collected by institutions such as the Vatican Museum. Kuo began his journey as an apprentice in the family’s cloisonné studio, where he learned the painstaking processes of applying enamel to copper, shaping forms with precision, and mastering intricate color applications. These formative years instilled in Kuo a deep respect and appreciation for traditional Chinese decorative arts and an unyielding curiosity about materiality.

In 1973, Kuo moved to Los Angeles, where he established his first cloisonné studio. He began experimenting with new shapes, textures, and finishes, and soon developed a unique artistic vocabulary that harmonized Eastern and Western influences. His innovations were quickly recognized. His works began appearing in high-profile collections, including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art.

In 1984, he built an airy, contemporary building in West Hollywood, located directly across from the Pacific Design Center at Melrose Avenue and San Vicente Boulevard in the West Hollywood Avenues of Arts & Design. The gallery quickly became a favorite stop for designers seeking distinctive, decorative objects for their discerning clientele.

By the mid-1980s, Kuo had expanded his repertoire beyond cloisonné, mastering repoussé, a technique of hammering decorative relief onto metal surfaces. He worked with artisans in China, learning and refining ancient metalworking techniques that he would later adapt to his own designs. Over time, his expertise grew to include lacquer, hard stone, and Peking glass. His pieces are found in prestigious spaces such as the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, the Ritz-Carlton Beijing, and the MGM Grand Villas in Las Vegas, as well as in the homes of celebrities such as Beyoncé, Will Smith, and Jennifer Lopez.

While Kuo is best known for his contemporary designs, the RenLu Collection reveals a different facet of his passion—one steeped in history, personal sentiment, and a deep appreciation for traditional craftsmanship. His collecting began during frequent trips to China in the early 1980s, where he found himself utterly captivated by ancient objects so intricate and refined that “it would have been rude not to take them home”. Many of these treasures were officially “gifts for my wife, Alice”—a charmingly strategic excuse that allowed Kuo to indulge his collecting habit without marital fallout.

For Robert Kuo, collecting is an extension of his artistic philosophy: he reinterprets traditional forms in ways that speak to modern sensibilities. This approach guides the RenLu Collection, in which each object is chosen not only for its material value but also for its artistry, historical significance, and enduring resonance.”

Through this auction, we invite collectors and connoisseurs to share in Kuo’s delight in these remarkable artifacts. The RenLu Collection is more than a tribute to China’s artistic heritage—it’s a window into one man’s lifelong pursuit of beauty, craftsmanship, and the occasional excuse to buy something stunning. With this sale, these objects will embark on a new chapter, finding homes with collectors who, like Kuo, understand the irresistible charm of artistry that transcends time.

潤廬藏珍（二）

2024年春紐約亞洲藝術周期間，我行推出 “潤廬品金”金銀器五十件，係洛杉磯設計師Robert Kuo的私人收藏，本名郭廬恩的他，將名字中的“廬”與太太閨名裏的“潤”合組，構成所蓄珍品的堂號——潤廬。

潤廬藏珍，以文房雜項爲主，金銀器點睛，本次推出的第二部分由這兩類組成，大多購于1979-2005年。這期間Robert穿梭中美港臺，收藏是工作的餘興，也是工作的靈感——作爲西海岸著名的家具設計師，他的作品收錄于知名博物館（如華盛頓特區的弗利爾、臺北的國立歷史博物館），見於好萊塢影星的香巢（如天后碧昂斯），以及衆多奢華酒店（如東京凱悅、星洲麗思卡爾頓、夏威夷拉奈島四季、拉斯維加斯美高梅）。他也為家居巨頭科勒旗下的若干品牌創作：麦圭尔的燈具、貝克的飾品，Ann Sacks的瓷磚，S. Harris的布料。

Robert并非藝術專業出身，原本在臺北念商科的他，對工藝美術的興趣源於父親的言傳身教。父親郭明橋生於山東德州，少小嵗离乡，就讀於北平藝專，是蔣兆和的得意門生。蔣的抗日巨作《流民圖》即在其幫助下完成。

當年郭明橋剛從上野美術學院校進修回國，在北平一家钟纺商店畫廣告，得知老師創作需要五千元買畫材、請模特，便為老師訂好潤筆，發動全體同事找模特，既給《流民圖》做草稿，也靠畫像賺錢。他還拜托經理為恩師介紹贊助人，找到川島芳子的胞妹，“清朝最後一位格格”金默玉。金付潤筆之餘，延請經商的兄長及其生意夥伴幫忙，從此蔣有了穩定收入，在1943年夏天完成高達兩米、長達二十七米的《流民圖》。

1947年郭明橋携家遷居臺北，教書之餘繼續創作。1956年完成《由黑暗到光明》十二米長卷，描摹山東教徒情狀，功力不遜乃師，受勛于教宗若望三十三世。

六十年代郭明橋的創作轉向景泰藍，因去德國開會時看到當地人製作掐絲琺琅，憶起北平這項絕技，“禮失而求諸野“，鑽研經年，成爲臺灣首批掌握此技的藝術家。其子Robert耳濡目染，移民南加州后在比華利山開設工作室，東風西漸，創作新式琺琅。後來搬到西好萊塢，創作亦拓展到玻璃、首飾、漆器，將古中國歷久彌新的精湛工藝轉譯成摩登的西式語言。

中美建交后，他頻繁前往北京，因此開始收藏，三十年間得到許多良師益友幫助，諸如弗利爾博物館的中國藝術部主任司美茵（Jan Stuart）、臺北故宮元老那志良，以及金銀器大家揚之水。今年春拍我們有幸推出郭氏“潤廬藏金”五十件，頗受關注，秋拍呈現“潤廬藏珍”的另一面：瓷器、玉器與文房，希望藏家繼續關注。