Page 122 - Christie's Hong Kong November 29, 2022 Fine Chinese Works of Art

PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
士紳珍藏
2984

A LARGE PAIR OF DOUCAI 'NINE DRAGON' 清十八世紀 鬥彩九龍紋天球瓶一對
VASES, TIANQIUPING
來源:
QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY 丹麥藝術與設計博物館，哥本哈根，1950年(據標籤)
Each vase is decorated with nine sinuous five-clawed dragons in Frank Caro，盧芹齋繼任者，編號693 (據標籤)
various colours, amidst scrolling clouds and iron-red flames, one 1970年代於麻薩諸塞州紐頓購得
emerging from a band of crashing waves at the foot, all below a ruyi- 加州私人舊藏
head border at the mouth. 紐約佳士得，2019年3月22日，拍品1815號
22æ in. (57.8 cm.) high (2)
HK$1,500,000-2,000,000 US$200,000-260,000

P R O V E NAN C E :
Kunstindustrimuseet, Copenhagen, 1950 (according to labels)
Frank Caro, successor to C.T. Loo, no. 693 (according to labels)
Acquired in Newtown, Massachusetts, 1970s
A private collection, California
Sold at Christie’s New York, 22 March 2019, lot 1815

The most prestigious decorative motif seen in the three-dimensional 鬥彩技法多用於盤、盌、罐等小件器，如本拍品之大瓶立件極
arts made for the Chinese imperial court in the Qing dynasty is the 少，成對作品更為稀罕。對瓶全器紋樣通體彩繪五爪龍九條，或
Imperial dragon - the symbol of the Son of Heaven, the Emperor himself.
The horned and five-clawed dragon is depicted on the present pair nine 升或降，遊翔於波濤海水及如意雲紋間。五爪龍為皇家御用紋
times, where nine was a number reserved for the emperor as it is the 飾，九龍紋更有九五之尊之寓意，此對瓶應屬宮廷陳設器。一隨
largest single digit number. This ritual association between the imperial
dragon and the number nine can be found on imperial objects across 緣齋舊藏、與此拍品器形相同之清乾隆龍鳳呈祥一例，於倫敦
many different media. Furthermore, large-scale eighteenth-century vases 佳士得2015年5月11日拍賣，拍品編號32。另一尺寸稍大但經截口
decorated in the doucai palette are very unusual, and it is even more
rare to find a pair, such as the present lot. The use of the sacred number 之乾隆鬥彩九龍紋瓶，於倫敦蘇富比2022年5月11日拍賣，拍品
nine combined with the doucai palette on a pair of vases reinforces the 編號13。
imperial connection, and suggests that this lot was intended for use
within the Imperial household. A rare, large doucai tianqiuping decorated
with a dragon and phoenix from the Sui Yuan Zhai collection, was sold
at Christie’s London, 11 May 2015, lot 32. Another similar sized Qianlong
mark and period doucai `nine dragon’ vase with the mouth reduced was
sold at Sotheby’s London, 11 May 2022, lot 13. The dragons on the present
pair of vases, however, are rendered in a more spirited manner.

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