Menken Works of Art

About Menken Works of Art
Menken Works of Art is an independent specialist art business based on Amsterdam’s historic Herengracht, focusing primarily on Chinese ceramics and works of art, alongside a carefully selected range of Japanese, Indonesian and other Asian works of art.

Founded by Youri Menken, the gallery combines connoisseurship, object-based research and commercial experience. Each work is examined and researched with attention to dating, attribution, condition, provenance and art-historical context, drawing on direct comparison with museum collections, specialist literature and international auction records.

The gallery’s principal area of expertise is Chinese art, with a particular interest in ceramics, later Chinese bronzes, scholar’s objects and the material culture surrounding the Chinese literati tradition. The collection also reflects broader interests in Japanese and Indonesian art and the historical artistic connections between Asia and Europe.


Youri Menken
Youri Menken is a Chinese works of art dealer, researcher and consultant with hands-on experience in object research, cataloguing, sourcing, evaluation, condition assessment and client advisory. He has been active in the art and antiques trade since 2016 and founded Menken Works of Art as a specialist business in 2024.

His work combines the direct examination and handling of works of art with comparative research drawing on museum collections, auction archives and specialist literature. Alongside dealing, he undertakes research and consultancy relating to the identification, dating, attribution and evaluation of Chinese and other Asian works of art.

Alongside his activities at Menken Works of Art, Youri undertakes freelance auction-house research and cataloguing assignments for Venduehuis The Hague. For the single-owner sales The Scholar & The Dragon, Parts I & II (2026), he researched and prepared catalogue entries for Chinese bronzes and textiles. This work included object description, dating and attribution, provenance research, comparative research, and references to relevant museum collections and specialist literature. His auction-house work is based on the direct examination of objects and the identification of appropriate published, museum and auction comparables to support catalogue descriptions and dating.

His auction-house experience has also included research and cataloguing for Venduehuis The Hague’s Indonesian Art, Keris & Applied Arts Auction (2023), reflecting his broader experience with Indonesian and Southeast Asian works of art.

Youri has also delivered lectures and courses on Chinese ceramics, sharing practical and historical knowledge of the field and introducing participants to the identification, dating and appreciation of Chinese ceramic wares. His continued specialist development includes lectures and courses on Chinese art, curator-led museum and study-collection visits, access to museum collections and depots, and object-handling sessions at museums and auction houses.

He is a member of the Oriental Ceramic Society in London and the Royal Asian Art Society in the Netherlands (KVVAK), and regularly engages with the international Asian art market through auctions, museum exhibitions, specialist publications, study visits and professional events.


The Gallery
Menken Works of Art works with private collectors and other participants in the international art market, providing a personal and research-led approach to acquiring and understanding Asian works of art.

Research forms an integral part of the gallery’s approach. Where appropriate, objects are placed within their wider historical and artistic context through comparison with related works in museum collections, published literature and established collections. Particular attention is given to transparent descriptions of dating, attribution, provenance and condition.

In addition to offering works for sale, Menken Works of Art provides research and consultancy services relating to Chinese and other Asian works of art. The gallery welcomes enquiries from both established collectors and those developing a new interest in the field.

The gallery is located on Amsterdam’s Herengracht and is available for viewings by appointment.

Open by appointment only