Page 22 - Christie's Hong Kong November 29, 2022 Fine Chinese Works of Art

Lot 2946 Lot 2934 Lot 2953 Lot 2968
拍品2946號 拍品2934號 拍品2953號 拍品2968號
research and biographical detail, has recently been incorporated allowed to leave the court. Jiang went to live in the country in the
into the excellent catalogue raisonné of his collection published by Zhou kingdom and sat contentedly day after day fishing on the banks
Sir Michael’s younger daughter Katharine Butler and the scholar of the Wei River, either with a straight hook or with no hook at all.
Teresa Canepa (T. Canepa and K. Butler, Leaping the Dragon Gate, He believed that the fish would come to him when they were ready.
London, 2021). By the same logic he believed that a just ruler would eventually seek
him out to help overthrow the corrupt Shang dynasty. King Wen of
The current selection of pieces from Sir Michael’s collection highlights Zhou was drawn to Jiang through divination and eventually found
a number of important aspects of 17th century porcelains. The him by the river fishing. The conversation between the two supposedly
exceptional incense burner (lot 2946), which dates from the Ming forms the basis for the Six Secret Teachings, which is regarded as one of
dynasty Chongzhen reign (1628-44) displays the beautiful blue the Seven Military Classics of China, and Jiang became King Wen’s
pigment seen the finest late Ming porcelains, despite the closure of Prime Minister, served his son King Wu, when Wen died, and played
the imperial kilns. The painting is also of very fine quality, while the a crucial role in the overthrow of the Shang.
choice of narrative decoration encircling the vessel demonstrates both
the popularity of designs drawn from history, literature and legend, Several porcelains from the Shunzhi reign (1644-1661) of the Qing
and also the inspiration from woodblock printed illustrations in books. dynasty are included in the current catalogue, including the elegant
The theme on this incense burner is the meeting between Jiang Ziya, blue and white vase (lot 2934). Sir Michael worked closely with Julia
also known as Jiang Taigong, and Emperor Wen of Zhou (r. 1100- B. Curtis and Stephen Little to bring the porcelains from this reign
1050 BC). Jiang Ziya was a military strategist who is a major character into academic focus through the important exhibition Treasures from
in the Ming dynasty novel Fengshen Yanyi (The Investiture of the an Unknown ~Reign: Shunzhi Porcelain, 1644-1661 (shown in Honolulu,
Gods) first published in the 1550s. Jiang had loyally served the Shang Dallas and Charlottesville, Virginia in 2002) its catalogue and the
dynasty until the tyranny and debauchery of its last ruler, King Zhou accompanying symposium.
of Shang finally sickened him and he feigned madness in order to be

編製了一份註解甚詳的購藏與處置明細，對於研究其收藏史 亡國之君商紂荒淫暴虐，遂佯瘋引退。遷居周境後，他終日
的當代學者來說，不啻如虎添翼。當中所含的重要信息，以 怡然垂釣渭水之濱，或用直鈎，或乾脆無鈎，稱之為「願者上
及大量的輔助研究及源流始末，皆收錄於巴特勒爵士小女兒 鈎」。同樣道理，他亦深信賢德之君定能不請自來，與之合力
巴芙蓮(Katharine Butler)及學者甘淑美(Teresa Canepa) 推翻腐敗的商室。周文王憑卦象提供的線索，終於找到了河
為巴特勒珍藏出版的精采圖錄，此書圖文並茂，就此可參見 邊垂釣的姜子牙。《太公六韜》位列中國《武經七書》之一，
二人合著的《鯉躍龍門》(倫敦：2021)。 據說其綱要正是周文王與姜子牙的對答。姜太公曾任文王
丞相，後輔佐其子武王，是周文王死後助武王克殷立國的一
是次拍賣萃選的巴特勒爵士珍藏，彰顯了十七世紀瓷器的若
大功臣。
干重要特徵。以品相一流的青花通景訪賢圖香爐(拍品2946
號)為例，此器燒造於明崇禎(公元1628至1644年)年間，當 本圖錄還選載了若干順治佳瓷(公元1644至1661年)，
時御窯雖已停燒，但其青料翠艷幽深，正是晚明上等瓷器的 其中 一 例 為秀 美 俊 逸 的青花 花鳥竹 紋 筒瓶(拍品2934
特色。本香爐的畫工亦格外精湛，器身通繪敘事場景，既引 號)。巴 特勒爵士與 柯麗 婭 及利斯芬同心協力，聯袂 推
證了歷史、文學和傳奇主題何等流行，亦反映了木刻插圖的 出《Treasures from an Unknown Reign: Shunzhi
影響何其深遠。本拍品以姜子牙(亦名姜太公)會周文王(公元 Porcelain, 1644-1661》展覽(於2002年在檀香山市、達拉
前1100至1050年在位)為題。根據1550年代初版明代小說《 斯市與弗吉尼亞州的夏洛蒂鎮巡展)、展覽圖錄及相關的研
封神演義》，主角之一姜子牙為韜略家。他原忠心事商，但因 討會，希望藉此引起學術界對順治瓷器的重視。

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