Page 255 - China's Renaissance in Bronze, The Robert H.CIague Collection of Later Chinese Bronzes 1100-1900

Song fashion reveal their later date by their use of 6. Despite its ferocity and seeming naturalism,
'eyes' in the center of inlaid sheets of gold or silver, this lion relies more on conceptual presentation
the circular apertures fitting over small bronze than realistic modeling, as the head is too large
posts that serve a decorative function as well as for the body, the ribs extend too far back on the
the very practical one of helping to hold the inlays torso, the right hind paw is impossibly positioned
in place [compare 30]. See Goedhuis, Chinese and in relation to the leg, and the left rear leg has
Japanese Bronzes, number 82. been entirely omitted. Such traits also argue for
5. See Jenyns and Watson, Chinese Art: The Minor the early date of this vessel, since mid- and late
Arts, 111, number 46; Kerr, Later Chinese Bronzes, Ming jade and bronze animals, whether hollow
53, number 41; Goedhuis, Chinese and Japanese vessels or solid sculptures, generally indicate more
Bronzes, numbers 84-89; Tsang and Moss, Chinese anatomical completeness (though not necessarily
Metalwork, 34-35, numbers 1-2. accuracy), and their bases usually have at least a
6. See Li and Watt, The Chinese Scholar's Studio, cursory representation of the animal's underside,
120, number 67; Jenyns and Watson, Chinese Art: if not a detailed description.
The Minor Arts, 153, number 70.
7. Since it requires less gold and silver than tradi- 44
tional inlay and can be accomplished more quickly
and easily than traditional inlay, damascening 1. For information on ink and inkstones, see
enabled bronze craftsmen to produce finished Mowry, 'Catalogue' in Li and Watt, The Chinese
vessels at less cost than did inlay. Since dama- Scholar's Studio, 184-187.
scened vessels were no doubt sold as inlaid vessels, 2. See Li and Watt, The Chinese Scholar's Studio,
at inlaid-vessel prices, profits must have risen com- 139, number 86; Desmond Gure, 'An Early Jade
mensurately, with none the wiser, save the artisan Animal Vessel and Some Parallels,' Transactions of
and a few discerning connoisseurs. Such economy the Oriental Ceramic Society, 1957-59 (London),
of material and labor is a feature of Chinese crafts volume 31, 1959, 75-82, plates 26-27; Brian Morgan,
of the nineteenth century, from bronze to jade to Dr Newton's Zoo: A Study of Post-Archaic Small
lacquer; it mirrors the general decline of both Jade Carvings, London: Bluett and Sons Ltd, 1981,
empire and national economy. 12, number 10; Osaka shiritsu bijutsukan (Osaka
8. Compare Li Yihua, Gugong zhencang Kang Municipal Museum) compiler, Rokucho no bijutsu
Yong Qian ciqi tulu, 386, number 67; Watt, Chinese (Arts of the Six Dynasties), Tokyo: Heibonsha, 1976,
Jades, 216, number 218. 292, number 159. (Although Gure and others have
9. A thermoluminescence (TL) test performed at argued that vessels of this shape were lamps, the
the Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the consensus today is that they were water droppers.)
History of Art, Oxford University, on a sample of 3. Wen Zhenheng, Zhangwu zhi, juan 7, 204.
casting core removed from under the footring 4. See Loehr, Ancient Chinese Jades, 354-57, num-
confirmed the jar's antiquity. The test certificate, ber 522; Lawton, Chinese Art of the Warring States
dated 26 October 1990 and bearing the signature Period, 155, number 102; 181-83, numbers 134-35;
of Doreen Stoneham, indicates that the sample Arts Council of Great Britain, Chinese Jade Through-
(number 566k7) was last fired between one hundred out the Ages, 64, numbers 173-74; Wang Zhongshu,
and two hundred years ago. Han Civilization, 95, number 105; 98-99, numbers
10. Because virtually all of the gold and silver is 111,115; Jenyns and Watson, Chinese Art: The Minor
intact, it is impossible to discern whether the Arts, 291, numbers 129-30; Watt and Ford, East
surface was scored in preparation for dama- Asian Lacquer, 17, number 3; 19, number 6.
scening through integral casting or through cold 5. See Lim and others, Stories from China's Past,
work. Those areas embellished with silver lines 179, plate 70 C.
show less wear than the ones ornamented with 6. ChaiandChai, Li Chi: Book of Rites, volume 1, 384.
gold and silver sheets because the wire used for 7. Later pieces tend to be more fanciful, turning
the lines is much thicker than the sheets. the tortoise's head slightly, intertwining the snake's
tail with that of the tortoise, eliminating the cup's
even
and
handles,
of
underside
embellishing
the
43 the tortoise with scrolling floral motifs. See Brinker
1. For information on the scholar's studio and its and Lutz, Chinese Cloisonne, number 259.
appointments, see Li and Watt, The Chinese 45, 46, 47
Scholar's Studio.
2. See Watt, Chinese Jades, 73, number 54. 1. Mowry,'Catalogue' in Li and Watt, The Chinese
3. See Watt, Chinese Jades, 71, number 49. Scholar's Studio, 181, number 69; Watt, Chinese
4. See Xuande yiqi tupu, volume 2, juan 12, 7; Jades, 143, number 119.
juan 15, 4; juan 19, 6, all pages recto. 2. Morgan, Dr Newton's Zoo, 2.
5. See Watt, Chinese Jades, 59, number 36; 60, 3. Wen Zhenheng, Zhangwu zhi, juan 7, 205. On
numbers 37-38. the same page, Wen further noted that Xuande-
2 2 1
T H E R O B E R T II. C L A G U E C O L L E C T I O N