Page 144 - Christie's Hong Kong November 29, 2022 Fine Chinese Works of Art

on the Chinese decorative arts, sometimes alone, Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 149, no.
and sometimes accompanied by the phoenix, 135). The latter vessel dates to the previous Yongzheng
symbol of the empress. The Chinese dragon, unlike reign, however, the majority of the vessels with this
his European counterpart, was believed to be a type of low-relief carved dragon decoration date to
beneficent creature. He was not only the essence the Qianlong period. A large Qianlong tianqiuping
of yang (male) properties, but is also a bringer of globular vase from the Qing Court Collection in the
rain. The dragon was believed to rise from winter Palace Museum, Beijing, has a very similar disposition
hibernation among the waves at the Spring Equinox of five-clawed dragons, clouds and waves under a slightly
to bring the rain necessary to water the crops, which more greenish-toned celadon glaze (illustrated Complete
is why the creature on this Qianlong vase is depicted Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum 37 Monochrome
rising from the waves and flying amongst clouds. The fig. 2 The Metropolitan Porcelain, op. cit., p. 151, no. 137) (fig. 1).
dragon was also one of the si ling - creatures of the four Museum of Art, New York
quarters - the green dragon representing the east, while 圖二 紐約大都會博物館藏品 Two large Qianlong lantern-shaped vases with similar
the west was represented by the white tiger, the south relief decoration of dragons, clouds and waves to that on
by the red bird, and the symbol of the north was the so-called dark the current meiping, but with thin copper green glazes, have been sold
warrior, usually depicted as a tortoise and snake combined. by Christie’s Hong Kong – one on 3 November 1996, lot 730 and the
other 27 November 2013, lot 3207. Another large Qianlong lantern-
Powerful relief-carved dragons amongst clouds and above waves shaped vase of similar size to the green lantern vases, but with a turquoise
can also be seen on a large imperial bowl with inverted rim and glaze, is in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing and also shares
pale celadon glaze in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing similar dragon, clouds and wave relief decoration (illustrated by Feng
(illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum 37 Xianming, Geng Baochang and Ye Peilan (eds.) in Selected Porcelains of

完美青釉配方。相對於如南宋、元代等時期的標準青釉，素 綜觀磅礡大氣的浮雕海水雲龍紋器物，北京故宮博物院藏
雅的康熙青釉僅需一半的鐵來呈色。雍正時期，御窯仍在改 一例御製粉青釉歛口雲龍紋鉢式缸，圖見《故宮博物院藏文
良這款新式青釉，力圖燒造出質感細膩且微微泛藍的效果， 物珍品全集37：顏色釉》頁149編號135(香港：1999)。此缸斷
再經過乾隆年間多次微調，方配製出一系列御瓷(具紋飾或 代為較早的雍正朝，但同類型的淺雕龍紋實例大多斷代為乾
光素者皆然)專用的極品青釉。 隆作品。北京故宮尚有一例清宮舊藏大型乾隆天球瓶，其器
身亦凸雕大同小異的祥雲海水五爪龍紋，惟其粉青釉色調略
本拍品凸雕五爪龍紋，此乃天子威儀之終極象徵。有角五爪
深，圖見前述著作《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集37：顏色釉》
龍紋堂皇氣派，是公認的天子化身，它在中國裝飾藝術中形
頁151編號137（圖一）。
象多變，或單獨呈現，或伴以象徵皇后的鳳凰。龍在中國屬禎
祥之兆，這跟歐洲的觀念大異其趣。龍主陽，專司興雲佈雨。 香港佳士得曾先後拍出兩件體量碩大的乾隆燈籠尊，其凸
相傳龍於春分甦醒，自水中騰飛而起、普降甘霖，滋養作物， 雕海水雲龍紋與本拍品近似，但薄施蘋果綠釉，兩者分別於
本梅瓶的虯龍在波濤雲海中騰梭遊弋，可謂其來有自。龍更 1996年11月3日，拍品730號及2013年11月27日拍出，拍品3207
是坐鎮四方的「四靈」之一，青龍代表東方，餘者為白虎(西)、 號。北京故宮亦珍藏一例大型乾隆燈籠尊，此器施松石綠地
朱雀(南)與玄武(北)，玄武多以龜蛇盤繞的形象出現。 釉，器型與前述綠釉燈籠尊相若，並雕飾近似的海水雲龍

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