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H v a d in d s a m lin g s o m r å d e t a n g å r, v a r d e tte a lle
re d e i s to re træ k m a r k e r e t v e d C . L. D a v id s g r a n
d io s e g a v e . V isse g r u p p e r fa n d t A n d r é L e th d o g så
g o d t r e p ræ s e n te r e t p å a n d re d a n s k e m u s e e r, a t en
v id e re u d b y g n in g n æ s te n ik k e h a r f u n d e t ste d .
D e t g æ ld e r f.e k s . n o r d is k e fa ja n c e r, a r b e jd e r fra
D e n k o n g e lig e P o rc e la in s fa b rik , d a n s k sø lv m .m ..
A n d r e g r u p p e r e r b le v e t s u p p le re t, n å r p a s s e n d e
tin g e r d u k k e t o p , m e n s o m r å d e r s o m fra n s k p o r
c e læ n , e n g e ls k e m ø b le r , c h in o is e ri o g is la m is k
k u n s t e r b le v e t o p d y r k e t m e d iv e r.
A t m u s e e ts s a m lin g a f fra n s k p o rc e læ n e r b le v e t
så fin , s o m d e n e r, sin lid e n h e d tiltr o d s , sk y ld e s
ik k e m in d s t, a t A n d r é L e th h a r h a ft e n u v u r d e r lig
s tø tte i d ir e k tø r i N y C a r ls b e r g f o n d e t S v e n d E r ik
se n , s o m h a r s tille t sin s to r e v id e n til r å d ig h e d fo r
m u s e e t.
S a m lin g e n a f e n g e ls k e m ø b le r , s o m v e l e fte r
h å n d e n e r b la n d t d e b e d s te u d e n f o r d e e n g e ls k
ta le n d e la n d e , e r b y g g e t o p i e t s n æ v e rt s a m a r b e j
d e m e d e n r æ k k e L o n d o n - k u n s th a n d le r e . D e n e r
k o n c e n tr e r e t o m k r in g d e t 18. å r h u n d r e d e o g k a n ,
m e d sin e m a n g e p r a g tf u ld t u d s k å r n e m ø b le r , ses
s o m e n m o d s æ tn in g til K u n s tin d u s tr im u s e e ts
s a m lin g , d e r e r p r æ g e t a f a r k ite k te n K a a re K lin ts
f o r k æ r lig h e d fo r e n m e r e p u r ita n s k e n g e ls k m ø
b e lk u n s t.
P å K u n s tin d u s tr im u s e e t v a r A n d r é L e th h o v e d
k r a fte n b a g o p b y g n in g e n a f e n b e ty d n in g s f u ld k i
n e s is k s a m lin g . D e n n e in te re s s e m å tte h a n la d e
fa re i D a v id s S a m lin g , m e n fik d e n a llig e v e l lu k k e t
in d a d b a g d ø r e n v e d a t f o k u s e re p å d e t fa s c in e re n
d e f æ n o m e n i e u r o p æ is k k u n s t- o g k u ltu r h is to r ie ,
s o m k a ld e s c h in o is e ri. S v æ rm e r ie t fo r d e t e k s o ti
sk e g a v sig m a n g e k u r iø s e u d s la g , m e n v a r o g så
d riv k r a f te n b a g n o g le a f d e t 18. å r h u n d re d e s fin e
s te o g m e s t c h a rm e re n d e p o rc e læ n e r, m ø b le r ,
te k s tile r, m a le rie r m .m ., a f h v ilk e D a v id s S a m lin g
e f te r h å n d e n h a r e t s m u k t u d v a lg . S a m tid ig e r d e t
groups were so well represented in other Danish mu
seums thatfurther expansion has hardly taken place at all.
This applies, fo r example, to Scandinavian faience,
wares from the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufac
tory, and Danish silver. Other groups have been sup
plemented whenever suitable items have turned up,
while areas such as French porcelain, English furniture,
chinoiserie and Islamic art have been cultivated zeal
ously.
That the M useum ’s collection o f French porcelain
should have become as excellent as it is - despite its
modest size - is due largely to the invaluable support
André Leth has had in Svend Eriksen, director o f the
N y Carlsberg Foundation, who has placed his enor
mous knowledge at the disposal o f the Museum.
The collection o f English furniture, which by now is
among the best to be found outside the English-speaking
countries, has been built up in close collaboration with a
number o f London dealers. It is concentrated around the
18th century, and the many splendidly carved items it
includes provide a contrast to the Museum o f Decorative
A r t’s collection, which reflects Kaare K lin t’s predilec
tion fo r English furniture o f a more puritanical kind.
A t the Museum o f Decorative A rt, André Leth was
the prime mover behind the building up o f an important
Chinese collection. This was an interest he was obliged
to abandon in the David Collection, but nevertheless
managed to let in via the back door by focussing on the
fascinating phenomenon in the history o f European art
and culture known as chinoiserie. Infatuation with the
exotic Orient found many curious forms o f expression,
but was also the impetus behind some o f the 18th cen
tury’s finest and most charming examples o f porcelain,
furniture, textiles, paintings, etc., o f which the David
Collection has assembled a fin e selection over the years.
A t the same time the Chinese fashion o f the 18th cen
tury is merely an example among many o f the important
cultural exchange which has always taken place be
tween East and West, incidentally often with the geo-