Page 132 - Christie's Hong Kong November 29, 2022 Fine Chinese Works of Art

SURROUNDED BY AUSPICIOUS CLOUDS

– A RARE PAIR OF YONGZHENG DOUCAI

WATER POTS

ROSEMARY SCOTT, INDEPENDENT SCHOLAR

The Yongzheng emperor was an extremely demanding patron, and painter, since they provided the water needed to prepare the ink. In
the items made for the court during his relatively short reign reflect his Pure Records of the Cave Heaven (Dongtian qinglu ji the Song dynasty
his very high standards, and have thus always been highly regarded scholar Zhao Xihu (active 1180-1240) explained how to collect and
by connoisseurs. The imperial arts the Yongzheng reign are noted appreciate antiques, as well as discussing their use, including water
for their refined taste and their exquisite craftsmanship. The emperor pots. Zhao noted that: ‘One should get up early in the morning and
took a keen and active interest in the arts and encouraged court grind the ink, adding a sufficient quantity of water to the ink stone to
painting, and the decorative arts. He was particularly interested in the make enough for the day; but, when that ink is exhausted, then more
production of imperial porcelain. The eminent Chinese art historian must be prepared and that is the reason that [water from] a water pot is
Yang Boda has said of the porcelains produced in the period AD 1726- needed [by the scholar]. Although water pots were in use as early as the
35 of the Yongzheng reign: ‘The porcelain of this period has a pristine Qin and Han dynasties, and were already collected as antiques in the
purity, and jade-like luminosity, and the painted design gives the piece Song dynasty, their number and variety increased considerably in the
a luxuriance reminiscent of brocade. Nianyao [porcelains made under Ming and Qing dynasties.
the supervision of Nian Xiyao (1671-1738) and Tang Ying (1682–1756)
from 1728] epitomize the classic refined style of Qing imperial ware, Before he ascended the throne, Prince Yinzhen (later the Yongzheng
and they are rated by commentators as the best among the imperial Emperor) used to spend hours copying the calligraphy of model books,
wares of the entire Qing dynasty.’ (see The Tsui Museum of Art – and was regarded as a talented calligrapher even by his - often critical -
Chinese Ceramics IV Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 1995, p. 40 and p. 12 father, the Kangxi emperor. Yongzheng’s calligraphy strongly resembles
for Chinese text). Like his father, the Kangxi emperor (1662-1722), that of his father with its slender, contained characters rendered in
the Yongzheng emperor was a keen admirer of enamels and retained strong, fluent brushstrokes. In the succeeding Qianlong emperor’s reign
a personal interest in production, as evidenced by various documents (1736-95), Yongzheng’s calligraphy was itself printed in model books
in the palace archives. Yongzheng also put his favourite, and very such as Model books of the Siyi Hall and Model books of the Langyin Pavilion
able, younger brother, Prince Yinxiang (1686-1730) in charge of the to serve as inspiration for the next generation of calligraphers. In fact,
imperial ateliers. the Yongzheng Emperor is generally regarded as the finest calligrapher
among the Qing rulers. Scholars’ items related to calligraphy, such as
The current water pots are particularly exquisite examples of items water pots, ink palettes and brush pots, were therefore particularly
made for the scholar’s studio. Such items included not only the so-called close to his heart. In a painting of the emperor entitled Copying a Sutra
‘four treasures of the scholar’s studio’ (brush, paper, ink and inkstone), in a Studio, one in the series of Yinzhen’s Amusements, the emperor is
but also the writing and painting accoutrements modestly referred to as depicted seated, brush in hand, at a table with paper spread out in front
wenwan (literati playthings) – water pots, brush washers, scroll weights, of him with scroll weight, water pot and what appears to be a bamboo
brush pots, etc. Water pots were essential to the calligrapher and the brush and scroll pot to his right (illustrated National Palace Museum,

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