Page 103 - Sotheby's October 3 2017 Chinese Art

Stately in form and design, this vase is impressive encircling the neck. More commonly rendered in 本壺器形敦厚穩重，紋飾端秀，而且尺寸宏
for its large size which has been flawlessly the ‘heaped and piled’ technique to mimic early 碩，通體花紋圖案精密細膩，足見匠藝高深。
potted and covered in finely executed motifs. It Ming blue and white wares, the present design 乾隆一朝造瓷，喜博採古今工藝特色，從明瓷
represents the Qianlong style in its amalgamation has replaced the thin, delicate scrolls and flowers 紋飾、織品以至高古銅器，皆被引以迎合當下
of influences which draw from Ming ceramic with a much thicker, bold design to result in an 審美情趣，本品即為一例。此外，本品鈷藍釉
patterns that have been adapted to contemporary intensity that accentuates the robustness of the 發色濃艷，可見當時色料等素材皆為上等，瓷
taste, as well as textiles and archaic bronzes. The vessel. This effect is heightened by the broad 匠選優材而展所長，技藝精湛之餘，亦匠心獨
decoration is also notable for the brilliance of the band of shou medallions on a diaper ground, 運，時創新款。
blue cobalt, which reflects the high standard of which has clearly been inspired by textile designs;
resources available to the potters who excelled in see a large embroidered shou wall panel included 此壺製作不易，瓷匠技藝須達一定火候，並借
both technical and creative capabilities. in the exhibition China: The Three Emperors 1662- 鑑各式高古藝術風格及造型，故成品慕古而不
1795, The Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2005, 泥古，當中頗有新意。本壺雙耳仿周朝獸紋，
The creation of this hu demanded considerable cat. no. 303. The dexterity of the craftsman is 但匠人將之抽象簡化，僅表現輪廓線條，流露
expertise and the potter has borrowed evident in the arrangement of the composition, 時匠審美趣味。
extensively from archaic styles and forms while where the negative space has been treated
creating a piece that is both steeped in tradition as crucial to the overall design in successfully 此碩大壺形仿自古青銅器，作法始見於雍正年
yet innovative. The handles are also inspired by creating a sense of splendour. 間，時唐英出任景德鎮御窰督陶官，乾隆即位
the animal handles of the Zhou period but have 後續任此職。唐英承意旨，積極向高古藝術風
been abstracted to a mere silhouette of the A closely related vase in the Shanghai Museum, 格取材，而且高宗好鑑藏青銅、玉等器物，故
original, thus endowing the vessel with a sense of Shanghai, is illustrated in Selected Ceramics from 乾隆一朝，古風盛行。
contemporaneity. the Collection of Mr and Mrs J.M. Hu, Shanghai,
1989, pl. 62; another is included in Geng 本品壺身蓮紋花枝繁盛，每朵蓮花圈以捲延枝
This large form was first transposed from bronze Baochang, Ming Qing ciqi jianding [Appraisal of 草，壺頸飾一圈壽字紋。此外，本壺巧以鈷
into porcelain during the preceding Yongzheng Ming and Qing porcelain], Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 藍點苔仿明初青花黑疵，營造深淺對比，卻
period under the guidance of China’s most 455; one of a pair from the T.Y. Chao collection, 以粗獷枝妍代替前朝纖花細葉，突顯器身豐
famous Superintendent of the imperial kilns in sold in these rooms, 19th May 1987, lot 272, 碩飽滿。壺頸萬字錦地飾團壽，觀感寬宏大
Jingdezhen, Tang Ying (1682-1756), who served was included in the exhibition Ch’ing Porcelain 雅，明顯仿自織品，可參考一幅萬字錦刺繡，
both the Yongzheng and Qianlong Emperors. from the Wah Kwong Collection, Art Gallery, The 展於《盛世華章》，英國皇家藝術學院，倫
Encouraged to look to archaic forms and designs Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 敦，2005年，編號33。此壺器身紋飾布局精
for inspiration, this trend for archaism continued 1973, cat. no. 68; another, from the collection of 妙，巧用留白空間，使整體造型華美豐富而不
to flourish throughout the reign of the Qianlong Marchese Giuseppe Salvago Raggi, was sold in 過於繁縟。
Emperor, who was also a great connoisseur and our London rooms, 16th May 2012, lot 129.
collector of bronzes, jades and works of art.

Particularly notable on this vase are the large
stylised lotus blooms tucked within dense
C-scrolls and the band of shou characters

上海博物館收藏一件近例，錄於《胡惠春先生
王華雲女士捐贈瓷器精品選》，上海，1989
年，圖版62。另一例，載於耿寶昌，《明
清瓷器鑑定》，香港，1993年，圖版455
。趙從衍舊藏一對，售於香港蘇富比1987
年5月19日，編號272，展於《華光艸堂珍
藏清代瓷器》，香港中文大學文物館，香
港，1973年，編號68。再有一例，Marchese
Giuseppe Salvago Raggi 舊藏，售於倫敦蘇
富比2012年5月16日，編號129。

IMPORTANT CHINESE ART 101