The night before departing to Europe, I ventured out to City University in Kowloon Tong.

The school in 2018 hosted an exciting show called “Cabinets of Curiosities,” a look at French antiques and eclectic pieces which Europeans brought back from Asia starting around the 16th century.

My special tour was conducted by antiques dealer Mikael Kraemer, of Paris’ Kraemer Gallery, and curator Dr. Isabelle Frank, the director of the CityU Exhibition Gallery.

The exhibit was incredibly beautiful. And the French wine and cheese sponsored by EMW didn’t hurt either.

Here’s a look at what I saw through the looking glass.

From exhibit materials: Louis XV Period Corner Cabinet (pictured on right), 18th Century, Violet wood, veneer, 105 x 72 x 42 cm, Kraemer Gallery.

From exhibit materials: Louis XVI Period Open Work Table, 18th Century, Mahogany, ebony, veneered, 74 x 73 x 48.5 cm, Kraemer Gallery.

From exhibit materials: French Maker, Louis XVI Period Dog Kennel, 18th Century, Painted wood, 52 x 57 x 49 cm, Kraemer Gallery.

From exhibit materials: “Founded in 1831 the Maison Deyrolle is a unqiue cabinet of curiosities that has been a source of inspiration for collectors, intellectuals, scientists, artists and designers over [almost] two hundred years. [Deyrolle] specializ[es] in taxidermy and the collecting of natural specimens,” including a horse with a narwhal horn. 

From exhibit materials: Blue Dragon Robe, 19th Century, Silk, colored thread, 132 cm, University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong.

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Until next time…

Alice

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All photos courtesy of Alice Lonfat-Chu.