One of the world’s great experts, Gordon Lang, has died. He passed in his sleep on October 9.
Gordon was one of the world’s foremost authorities of European and Asian ceramics. He dedicated the last and best years of his life to teaching new generations of experts, who are now writers, dealers, curators and directors of museums all over the world. Despite mastering a bewildering array of disciplines (e.g. history, chemistry, anthropology, geography, iconography, engineering), Gordon was remarkably humble; more at home in a pub than a library. He loved nothing more than going sharing a larger with his students.
Born in Scotland and trained as an engineer, Gordon worked in Sotheby’s department of ceramics before taking a teaching post at Sotheby’s Institute of Art. He worked for the auction house at a time when the science of ceramics converged with aesthetic appreciation.The resulting flood of market interest fueled both a new generation of collectors and forgerers. Gordon handled tens of thousands of objects, developing an unmatched, highly-sought-after ability to distinguish wheat from the chaff. His books, Wrestling Boys: Catalogue of the Exhibition of Chinese & Japanese Ceramics from the 16th to the 18th Century in the Collection at Burghley House and The Powell Cotton Collection of Chinese Ceramics, are essential manuals for serious scholars and collectors.
Just before learning about Gordon death, I had sent him an email. I was hoping to see the new ceramics galleries at the Victoria & Albert Museum, followed by dinner. Instead, I met with friends to talk about how generous Gordon had been to all of us.
May God Bless him.
A great loss of knowledge, a great person and unmatched expert with a very humble character. We pray for him
We will never know the real Cosmo Gorden Lang –OF CHARITY HOW ODDLY SCANT
YOU ARE– HOW LANG,O LORD. HOW FULL OF CANTUAR!
We were neighbours, he was a lovely, quiet man.
He was my teacher, a perceptive, ingenious, creative, widely read scholar in a multiplicity of fields. He was kind and generous, a wonderful father, too. I’m only saddened he didn’t live longer. If anyone was deserving, he was. In memory, he will always be.
I’m Gordon’s granddaughter. He was on my dad’s side and I never really knew much about him except from his time on the antiques roadshow and a player for the Wembley football team. I’m glad he had an impact on so many people. It’s a shame I never got to meet him properly.
I’m sorry that I didn’t see this comment earlier. But, I am so glad you made it and am happy to know your connection to Gordon. The next time I visit London — which may be a while — I will reach out, and perhaps we can meet for lunch.
1960’s onwards I met group of people (Streatham) through which met Gordon and his wife Carol. My son Gavin (born 1976) and I had several wonderful visits 1978/80 to Glandwr with Carol, Ben and his sister who was definitely going to be an artist. Lost touch way back but was just thinking of them all. Please send my love 🙂 x
Gordon was my mentor and teacher when I first joined Sotheby’s in the late 1970’s . I owe him an enormous amount in terms of the amount I learnt from him and the faith he had in me . They were some of my happiest days and I shall never forget what I owe to him. Jeremy Rye . July 2020