Page 189 - Nov. 27, 2019 Christie's Important Works of Art HK

A RARE DING WARE INCENSE BURNER

Rose Kerr
Museum Expert Advisor, Hong Kong
Former Keeper of the Far Eastern Department, Victoria & Albert Museum

Ding wares enjoyed high status during the Five Dynasties, Northern Song and ೛⒋㲨㲱ྋ⯯Ⰸ༃㪁ⲯ
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Jin periods, both at court and in wealthy Buddhist monasteries. Official interest
in the kilns was intense, and a government Office for Porcelain Tax Affairs ( ≢ ᘉἯῚ
⚨ਦ☲࡞ײ ), often shortened to Ciyao wushi ≢⚨࡞ײ or simply Yao wushi ⚨
࡞ײ , was established in the area in the Five Dynasties period, an event recorded 㪁᫓ښḵ㩉പ೰㧣ࠑ
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in a stele dating to 957. Some Ding vessels were inscribed “official” or “new ע⛃૨׊̯㠾Ώṁښḵ㡗㑐ᖥ㒴✼㩉㟌
official”, reflecting their exalted status, and Ding wares were requisitioned by the
palace all through the Northern Song period.
Ding ware was also extolled as one of the “Five Classic Wares” of the Song ໸⚨଍ἃՆջǮ࢈໬ক㞖ջल≢卿ㄴងᅡࣿपഌ

dynasty by scholars of the Ming and Qing dynasties, thereby further enhancing ༾ࠀഠἃӳ৅ǯ ໶ᄙཌ⚨࡞ᥑἃ㨸᯷卿Նջᛞឆ
their desirability and value down through the ages. As befitted their exalted status, ᝤங⋁஠㉑⛁≢⚨ਦ☲࡞ײ Ꮅ➯♑Ǹ≢⚨࡞ײǹ
Ding wares had already attracted attention from Song dynasty scholars such as ᎵǸ⚨࡞ײǹ 卿᫉Կஙݩ݉ ჺ┐ᙔԋԮᝳᓽ
Lu Yü 㪅᳸ , Ye Zhi ⶟⧡ and Zhou Mi ॶ༗ , but it was the early Ming author ࣿǯ 㛑֍໸⚨଍㠺Ǹ໶ǹᎵǸᙲ໶ǹ᪪卿ս▔ݯ

Cao Zhao ᝨᛑ who first described their quality and value as collectables in some
஠ׅӶऱ޹㮮卿໸≢㏟ἃ༈ᅡ⊇≢卿࢈໬ងᅡӬ
detail. To quote from him:
⏜㈳ㅳӶᙷǯ
Among ancient Ding ware, pieces with fine body and white, lustrous glaze are
ᚺ᳖ໝ⩢㍞໸⚨ἃ໬ջǸՆഌल⚨ǹԠӬ卿ൈ᫉
valuable, while those that are coarse and yellowish are less so. Genuine items
Ӭ׹卿໸≢ᝤᛓۄई᫓ջ⻦།㘤ᒨক㞒㇬ǯ໸⚨
have “tear drop” markings on the exterior…..The best Ding wares were made in
the Xuanhe and Zhenghe reign periods [1119-25 and 1111-7]..... if it is damaged, ଍⪡ल഍Ӵ卿㫙ሾ໬ջໝ⩢ൈ㪅᳸Ǯ⶟⧡Ǯॶ༗
cracked or dull, it will be inexpensive. ✙⎐ᝳᓽࣿ卿ֿ㲛᪖㊄࠼ߎ៝᫉㯸ᘘ⻦৅⎏⁞ᇨ
⯝܎ٿ⩢卿⋁ᙇᚺջໝ⩢ᝨᛑǯձஙⶬהԋᑨ߅厍
Cao also said that in his time Ding ware was already more expensive than fine Ǹऒ໸଍卿க⬛⡿ⰰ⎊⩧ᵮᷪ⩢㏟卿㐏㾱⩧ⰰ㿩
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imperial wares from Jingdezhen. Today, they are no less valued. Regular Ding
⩢܎׆ǯംᝳᲯ⌆⩢ᛓ⏻卿ģģ ໿ক < ݩ݉
ware bowls and dishes are eagerly sought by collectors, while rare forms (like this
⯍ ჺ >Ǯᘟক < ݩ݉ ⯍ ჺ > 㧿⚨ᝬ
artefact) are consummate finds.
ൃǯģģ ޹⚨଍Ⲫ➔㵓߅⩢܎㖔ǯǹձ㚍ᓽߪ卿
This exceptional piece is an incense burner, the cover fashioned in the form of ⋁ᛞ໸≢⎏܎ᡟԠ㏟Ⴁ㑖㑘ӳԧᜀᇪ㤯໶≢ǯ ᛞ

two mandarin ducks, their necks lovingly entwined, and the stand modelled in
⯍իᚚ卿໸≢⎏܎ٿᝳಫὍ᳝ǯ⻦།ཌ໸⚨⎏⏎
the form of a lotus flower with upstanding petals. Although the piece has been
⎾㯸᧐ᴽ଍㑮Ԡⲋ㼸卿႙⠢߰ഞ⩢ ൈទᐽ৅ ᝤ
restored, one can clearly see the extraordinary modelling of a complex design in
ᛓज㙘⩧Ӷज᭯ǯ
ceramic. The graceful ducks’ necks recall carving in white jade, for such sinuous
curves are uncommonly achieved in ceramic. Even more noteworthy is the ទ㲞⻌ڔ႙⠢⢞卿⸌㮱ႛ౯Հ㻅㻎卿Ւ㯝Ԡන⦞
modelling of the lotus petals that stand up around the lid, framing the two ducks. ⣱⦑⣗卿ᄠຽₕⲋ⏇ᘞ⎏փ⸥ǯ᫉଍㫍⣌ـᇟ卿
Each petal was separately modelled and applied to the upper section of the stand,
ֿႛള഍႙⎏ㅻ㫓㙁௛խ᳖ᜁज㇦ǯ㻅㻎㯝㛑⤇
complete with small, curling sepals. Their placement conveys both fragility and
ᢣ෧㖿᱁ᜩ卿ԡ⏭ԠӴ቗ൈ⎊ℱ㫌卿⸌୬ᝢ⤇ᝩ
movement. The lower section of the stand rests on small, shaped feet, with above
൘ⲋ᫉ங㪃≢Ԡԋ᫢ἃ⧎㇦ǯᝤ㍯՞ᐽᡪघ⢞⎏卿
them a band of cartouches containing a scrolling design and small lion heads.
ᛓ㻅㻎㑷Ӵᯒ⸌Ꮢ౯⎏Ӭॶփ⸥≓ǯᬔ≓੷ℒᎰ
Above the cartouches is a ring of pendant lotus petals that terminate in a ruyi-
௛卿ݻ⯝ᄠຽᓞभ卿ᄓ㛑㇏⩘ᒲ⎏ཎႛⱤⶓǯ㘺
shaped pattern. The pendant lotus petals are moulded with a scrolling design that
matches the cartouches. Inside the bowl the character yue ᝲ is incised upside Ӭׁ཭ᚘබฌ๔ෆ卿ӻ࡚ዷࢦ㑷ǯᄠຽӴࢮ㛑ᐂ
down on one side, beneath the rim. ൈዪཎ㑷卿ݯӳ∪㱈Ӭ㙣㧷ݏ卿ݤᝳ࣍Ⳟ⡠ࣿཎ
ႛ⃹㲛ǯ㧷ݏԠӳἃӬ஄㇡⸥⡠卿Ӵ⛘ⲋൈዪ㫡
The form of the censer suggests marital happiness and fidelity, for mandarin ducks
㯔ǯ㇡⸥≓ݤ⯝㧷ݏݤ⎏࣍Ⳟ⡠ӳӴঈ፽ǯ଍ݤ
and lotus give the saying: May you have a harmonious marriage and may you
ऑᯒӴߴӬٜ⧡⎏Ǹᝲǹໃǯ
give birth to many sons 㻅㻎㏟ຽ . The lotus is the only flower that blooms with
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the seedpod already in place, and stands for the early arrival of sons. Mandarin ᫉଍⎏㙁௛ᜡᑨഏ൴ቫዴǮሉ㏌Ӷ᳟卿୬㻅㻎⯝
ducks mate for life, and their graceful, affectionate pose with necks intertwined
⸥भᑨǸ㻅㻎㏟ຽǹ卿⩧ⱤࢭԠԋ卿ዂᝳ⸥⸤⯝
emphasises a close and loving relationship.
Ɽऱ⊂卿⩧⸥⸤അ⟴卿ᘢ㎜ᇨ㙄⊂㏟ຽǯ 㻅㻎⯝
However the lotus flower also suggests a connection with Buddhism, as does the ְؗ㧩⏟ᅍ໪卿ӻՒ㯝Ԡන᠏⧻⦑⣗卿ᘢջヿ⇂
white colour of the vessel. Buddhist temples and Buddhist practitioners liked ⇨ক㺩Ǯ⏟⒖⏟኿Ԡካǯ
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