Page 264 - Christie's Hong Kong November 29, 2022 Fine Chinese Works of Art

3064 Continued

Figures of elephants made from various media were found in halls and 尊為立象形，四肢直立，長鼻微卷，雙牙尖長，身配轡頭、披掛，背披鞍韉，上
throne rooms throughout the Imperial palaces. They are associated with
strength, wisdom and long-life and are also significant animals within 馱方尊。通體施秋香色琺瑯釉為地，上飾掐絲水波紋為象身的肌理。韉上飾
the Buddhist religion. A prominent member of the Buddhist pantheon, 雲龍紋，鞍面鏨刻蓮紋，兩側嵌藍色寶石，鞍上置鋪首活環耳尊。
Samantabhadra (Puxian), is frequently shown seated on an elephant. They
are considered guardians of honour and were symbols of peace and good 此對大象體態碩大渾圓，神情憨態可掬，結合鎏金掐絲、錘堞技法，工藝規
harvests. Ornately embellished the imagery of an elephant supporting a
vase on its back forms the auspicious rebus, Taiping Jingxian or Taiping 準精巧，氣度雍容大方，施釉簡約而高。象性情溫和，行為端正，知恩必報，
Youxian, conveying the message of peace and harmony. 能負遠行，獲稱為「獸中之德者」。相傳象為耀光之星生成，能照靈瑞，普賢
菩薩就是乘象而來，只有在仁君自養有德時，靈象才出現。《漢書．王芥傳》
In the 40th year of the Qianlong reign (1776), a massive single cloisonne
enamel elephant was given as a tribute to Qianlong Emperor by Li Shiyao, 曰：「天下太平，五穀成熟」。太平有象寓天下太平、五穀豐登、國泰民安之
Governor-general of Guangdong and Guangxi Provinces (see Metal- 意。
Bodied Enamel Ware, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace
Museum, vol. 43, Hong Kong, 2002, p. 142-3, pl. 137). Emperor Qianlong
was very pleased and named it 'Taiping Youxiang', and was placed in 乾隆四十一年（1776年）廣東巡府李侍堯進貢錘堞起線掐絲琺瑯大象，深得
the Daoist temple in the Imperial garden Qin'andian, the Hall of Imperial 乾隆喜愛，賜名「太平有象」，曾陳設於御花園北端供奉玄武大帝的道教神
Peace. 殿欽安殿內。在宮廷很多大殿中均有太平有象陳設，養心殿東暖閣寶座前置
有一對與此器頗為接近的掐絲琺瑯太平有象尊（圖一），可見「太平有象」為
A pair of similar elephants is illustrated in Daily Life in the Forbidden City,
1988, no. 86 (fig. 1), shown flanking a throne in the Eastern Chamber in the 帝王對治理天下的最高期望。
Yangxindian, the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where the Emperor received
his officials, and Empress Cixi summoned ministers to audiences during 承德避暑山莊藏二例與本對大象之形制相近，一為象馱胡人，一為象負寶
the reigns of Tongzhi and Guangxu. Two examples, one modelled with the
elephant supporting a foreigner on its back and the other supporting a 瓶，見1999年台北出版《清宮秘藏：承德避暑山莊藏傳佛教文物特展圖錄》，
vase, are in Bishushanzhuan, the imperial summer resort at Chengde, and 圖版71號（圖二），該二例均為佛壇供器。
both are illustrated in Buddhist Art from Rehol, Tibetan Buddhist images
and ritual objects from the Qing Dynasty Summer Palace at Chengde,
Taipei, 1999, pp. 164-165, no. 71 (fig. 2); these are catalogued as for display 據傳，此對太平有象尊曾為英國前首相邱吉爾之舊藏，經倫敦斯賓克賣出，
on Buddhist altars. 傳到希臘船王奧納西斯手中，他再贈予美籍希臘歌劇女高音瑪麗亞·卡拉
絲（Maria Callas），1978年6月14日於巴黎Boisgirard & Associes瑪麗亞·卡
拉絲專拍中拍賣，拍品71號，後由倫敦古董商A & J Speelman、Christopher
Bruckner先後收藏。

fig. 2 Collection of the Chengde Summer Palace
圖二 承德避暑山莊藏品

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