Page 240 - China's Renaissance in Bronze, The Robert H.CIague Collection of Later Chinese Bronzes 1100-1900

and
Huang
Meishu
14 Deng Shi Taipei: Yiwen Binhong compilers, reprint
photo
congshu,
yinshuguan,
1. An unpublished exampl e appear s in the of 1947, fourth revised edition, volume 7, 2/4, 111-
Grenville L.Winthrop Collection at the Harvard Uni- 244; Jenyns and Watson, Chinese Art: The Minor
versity Art Museum (accession number 1943.52.78.); Arts, 87-90; Zhang Guangyuan (Chang Kuang-
its inlaid volutes vaguely recall the so-called yiian), 'Da Ming Xuande lu' (Xuande Censers of the
scrolling-cloud designs that first appeared on Ming Dynasty), Gugong wenwu yuekan (National
carved lacquers during the Song dynasty and rose Palace Museum Monthly of Chinese Art) (Taipei),
to popularity during the Yuan and Ming, lacquers number 32, November 1985, 4-16.
of a type better known in the West by the Japanese 2. Jenyns and Watson, Chinese Art: The Minor Arts,
name guri. 87; Zhang Guangyuan, 'Da Ming Xuande lu,'8.
2. See Delbanco, Art from Ritual, 119, 47; 122-23, 3. Published in 1626 with an erroneous attribu-
49; Jessica Rawson, Chinese Bronzes: Art and tion to the connoisseur-collector Xiang Yuanbian
Ritual, London: British Museum Publications, 1987, (1525-1590), Xuanlu bolun (A Discussion of Xuande
88, number 34; 92-93, numbers 39c, 40; Loehr, Censers) notes that although genuine Xuande
Ancient Chinese Jades, 300, number 438. bronzes were rare already by late Ming times, forg-
3. See Nancy Thompson, T h e Evolution of the eries were numerous, the rule of thumb being that
T'ang Lion and Grapevine Mirror,' Artibus Asiae nine out often purported Xuande bronzes were spu-
(Ascona, Switzerland), volume 29, number 1, 1967, rious. Xiang, Yuanbian, Xuanlu bolun (A Discussion
25-54; Alexander C. Soper, 'Addendum: The 'Jen of Xuande Censers) (1626), in Deng Shi and Huang
Shou' Mirrors,' Artibus Asiae (Ascona, Switzerland), Binhong compilers, Meishu congshu, Taipei: Yiwen
volume 29, number 1, 1967, 55-66. yinshuguan, photo reprint of 1947, fourth revised
4. See Taggart, McKenna, and Wilson, Handbook edition, volume 7, 2/4, 245-49. Interest in Xuande
of the Collections in the William Rockhill Nelson censers and the problems surrounding their authen-
Gallery, volume 2, 38, numbers 46-85. ticity has continued to modern times. See also
5. See J.J. Lally and Company compiler, Chinese Chang Xiang, Xuanlu gezhu (Notes in Praise of
Ceramics and Works of Art: Inaugural Exhibition, Xuande Censers) (date uncertain, but Qing dynasty),
New York: J.J. Lally and Company, 1986, number in Deng Shi and Huang Binhong compilers, Meishu
34 and cover illustration. congshu, Taipei: Yiwen yinshuguan, photo reprint of
6. See Fontein and Wu, Unearthing China's Past, 1947, fourth revised edition, volume 7, 2/4, 251-57.
177, figure 92. 4. Given that such fragile works of art as paint-
7. See Mino, Freedom of Clay and Brush, 148, fig- ing, calligraphy, lacquer, and porcelain have survived
ure 165; 149, number 62; Shanxi Provincial Work in some quantity from the Xuande period while
Committee, Houma Work Station compiler, 'Shanxi the more durable bronzes have all disappeared,
Xinjiangahai cun Yuan mu' (A Yuan T o m b at one is tempted to wonder whether there really
Xinjiangzhai, Shanxi Province), Kaogu (Beijing), were high quality Xuande bronzes or whether the
1966, number 1, 33-37, plate 8, figure 11. phenomenon might be a complete hoax perpetrat-
8. See Editorial Committee of the Joint Board of ed by a later generation and unwittingly perpetuated
Directors of the National Palace Museum and by succeeding generations. One might even be
National Central Museum, Three Hundred Master- tempted to question the authenticity of Xuande
pieces of Chinese Painting, volume 3, number 131. dingyi pu(Catalogue of Xuande Ding and Yi Vessels)
9. See Wen Fong, Sung and Yuan Paintings, (see note 1), since it does not appear in the Ming
New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1973, shi (Official Ming History) and since the Ming shi
69, number 12. does not record even a mention of the casting of
10. See Watt, Chinese Jades, 138, number 114. thousands of bronzes during the Xuande reign.
11. See Garner, Chinese and Associated Lacquer, Still, as William Watson notes, '...the official lan-
plates 26, figure 50; 27, figure 52; 28, figure 55; 29, guage and the arrangement of the report have the
figure 61. marks of authenticity, and anything approaching a
12. See Watt, Chinese Jades, 205, number 205. travesty of an imperial decree and of so high-
13. See Delbanco, Art from Ritual, 129, number ranking a report so comparatively soon after the
52; Loehr, Ritual Vessels, 155, number 69; 159-73, event is on general considerations improbable.'
numbers 71-79; Chase, Ancient Chinese Bronze Jenyns and Watson, Chinese Art: The Minor Arts,
Art, 66-70, numbers 29-32. 95, note 5. Chinese tradition remains firm in its
14. See Li and Watt , The Chinese Scholar's conviction that Xuande bronzes existed and that
Studio, 128, number 71. they embraced the very highest level of quality.
Under the circumstances, we must accept the
historicity of Xuande bronzes but continue to
15 ponder the mystery of their seemingly complete
1. Xuande dingyi pu (Catalogue of Xuande Ding disappearance.
and Yi Vessels) (composed 1428; date of first pub- 5. See Mowry, Handbook, 67, 1979.146; Percival
lication uncertain but perhaps sixteenth century), in David Foundation, Imperial Taste, 43, number 18;
2 5 0
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