Page 23 - 2020 Nov 30 Christies Hong Kong Springfield Museum Imperial Art

fig. 1 Xiqing Gujian, ‘Inspection of Antiques’, juan 19
ॱˏ ᢌ೛ो༆ՈᕊǗ⾾᪹۵㞙ǘڰ

The present vase is one of the most mask on the original bronze prototype archaistic vase of the Qianlong period
spectacular imperial cloisonné enamel with a more fluid version, presenting from a private European collection sold
vessels commissioned by the 18th- it in a powerful manner by reserving at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 May 2013,
century Qing court. It is distinguished the colourful cloisonné enamel facial lot 2068 (fig. 3). Although completed
by the massive size, superb quality features in relief against the gilt-bronze in a different enamelling technique, it
of casting and enamelling, and the ground. The addition of gilt-bronze is decorated with interlaced scrollwork
powerful and the rare representation of interlocking teeth in high relief out of a emerging from stylised taotie masks and
taotie masks in relief. large mouth bordered by flames further terminating in dragon-heads, and similarly
enhances the dramatic visual impact. reserved on the gilt-bronze ground.
A major influence on both the shape and
decoration of enamel wares during the The quality of enamelling on the current
18th century was the interest in antiquity While the taotie vase is especially refined among 18th-
evinced by the emperors themselves and century imperial cloisonné enamel
other members of the elite. The expense mask is one of the vessels. The shaped panels on the neck
of fine cloisonné enamel wares was such most popular motifs on have an additional outline in blue in
that only members of this group would archaistic cloisonné enamel contrast to most other contemporaneous
have had access to them. This interest cloisonné enamel vessels with only a
in antiquity resulted in archaism being vessels of the Qing dynasty, single border in black enamel, such as
a significant aspect of the designs of it is extremely rare to find it the massive tripod censer with phoenix
cloisonné enamels. This was not a new rendered in relief and in such handles sold at Christie’s Hong Kong,
development in the Qing dynasty, but can 29 November 2017, lot 2915. For another
be said to have reached its zenith in the a significant size as in the cloisonné enamel vessel with a similar
18th century. The publication of illustrated case of the current vase. a double-band border but in black and red,
books purporting to show bronze objects refer to the vase with phoenix handles
from antiquity provided inspiration for offered in the current sale, see lot 2809.
the decorative arts as early as the Song Compare a large cloisonné pou (44 cm.
dynasty. Some of these were catalogues high, 48 cm. wide) of the Qianlong period The meticulous depiction of phoenix
of imperial collections, such as those of decorated with taotie masks on the body shown in profile with pink bodies and
the Northern Song Emperor Huizong and but without the treatment of relief from blue plumage on a dense ground of tree
the Qing dynasty Qianlong Emperor. the Juan Jose Amezaga Collection, sold peonies is similar in style and theme
at Christie’s Paris, 13 June 2007, lot 25 to a cloisonné enamel rhyton attached
The shape of this remarkable vessel is (fig. 2). The Amezaga example has four with a gilt-bronze phoenix dating to
closely modelled after an archaic bronze relief-decorated mask-form handles on the Qianlong period, from the Robert
hu, such as an example dating to the the shoulders, but much smaller in size Chang Collection (fig. 4), and included
Zhou period published in the Xiqing and serve more as a supporting role to in the exhibition Colorful, Elegant,
Gujian, the fourty-volume catalogue of the overall design. and Exquisite: A Special Exhibition of
the ancient bronzes in the collection of Imperial Enamel Ware from Mr. Robert
the Qianlong Emperor (fig. 1). The current It is interesting to compare the current Chang’s Collection, Suzhou Museum,
vase has reinterpreted the angular taotie vase to a champlevé and gilt-bronze 2007-2008, Catalogue, pp. 34-35.

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