Page 177 - Sotheby's October 3 2017 Chinese Art

These exquisite miniature jars belong to a small group of 此對小罐造工精湛，色彩搭配悅目華麗。與對罐同飾藍地
vases of various forms that were all decorated with famille- 描金開光粉彩圖之瓶罐，尺寸、器形，卻甚為珍罕。乾隆
rose panels on a gilt-enamelled blue ground. In their search 皇帝喜愛標新創異，清宮匠人極力鑽研探索，時有巧妙技
for ever new designs and styles for the Qianlong Emperor, the 法，相比碩大形制，更創小巧作品，並以華飾點綴。罐身
craftsmen of the imperial kilns sometimes took the unusual 各部設計，皆經精挑細選，畫中國傳統山水，卻以洋風卷
step to reduce rather than to enlarge their object of creation, 葉相伴，推陳出新。器若瓜棱，配獸耳銜環，尤顯華麗不
and to embellish these pieces with particularly ornate designs. 凡。縱然清宮御窰大量製瓷，文獻記載罐例，無可與之相
Every element of these jars has been carefully selected, 比，此品足見匠人創意無窮，巧思入微。
derived from European motifs, as seen in the scrolling
acanthus leaves, as well as Chinese landscape paintings. The 相類其他藍地描金開光瓷皿，尺寸較大。參考一件北京故
lobed form and mask-head handles accentuate their luxurious 宮博物院藏瓶，飾山水圖，側有擬古鳳首耳，載於《故宮
nature. No comparable piece appears to be recorded and 博物院藏文物珍品全集．琺瑯彩．粉彩》，香港，1999
these jars are admirable testimony to the potters’ unending 年，圖版130，同書另載一八方瓶，開光畫飾花鳥，無
imagination and attention to individual items, in spite of the 耳，圖版131，以及另外兩例，分別飾通景嬰戲圖及三
vast industrial-style production of porcelains at the Qing 多，編號132及133。還可參考 H.M. Knight 舊藏無耳方
imperial kilns. 瓶例，間飾花卉、詩文，售於香港蘇富比1979年11月28
日，編號254。另有一對三多瓶，售於香港佳士得1994年
Other vases belonging to this group of gilt-embellished blue 5月1/3日，編號678。
ground vessels are much larger in size; see an ovoid vase
with landscape panels, flanked with archaistic phoenix-head 本品亦反映乾隆帝之廣博喜好。鋪首之飾，姬周已有，雍
handles, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The 正、乾隆皇帝心懷尚古，復興此式。乾隆帝善藏惜珍，好
Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. 珍奇古玩，玲瓏藝品，收於多寶格，或存於御書房。碩
Porcelains with Cloisonné Enamel Decoration and Famille 大瓷器，份量不凡，尤顯宮廷氣派；小巧精品，則講究匠
Rose Decoration, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 130, together with an 人精湛技藝。如本品可見，藝匠憑巧手妙工，盡善盡美，
octagonal vase with bird and flower panels and no handles, 成就袖珍之寶。小巧美瓷，可參考一袖珍黃地洋彩纏枝番
pl. 131, and two cylindrical vases with a continuous design 蓮紋鋪首瓶，署乾隆年款，極為精緻，兩度售於香港蘇富
of children at play and panels of the Three Abundances, pls 比，2009年4月8日，編號1601，以及2013年4月9日，編
132 and 133 respectively. Further vases without handles 號15。
include a rectangular vase with alternating panels of flowers
and inscription, from the H.M. Knight collection, sold in these
rooms, 28th November 1979, lot 254; and a pair of baluster
vases also with panels of the Three Abundances, sold at
Christie’s Hong Kong, 1st/3rd May 1994, lot 678.

These jars also reveal the multifaceted predilections of the
Qianlong Emperor. The use of handles in the form of mythical
animals was first introduced in the Zhou period (c. 1046-221
BC) which experienced a renaissance under the Yongzheng
and Qianlong Emperors due to their strong interest in
archaism. The Qianlong Emperor was also an enthusiastic
collector of curios and miniature artifacts which were
contained either in specially crafted treasure boxes or kept in
his private studio. While large vessels were striking for their
size and embodiment of the splendour of the Qing dynasty,
the beauty of miniature pieces lies in the extraordinary level
of craftsmanship achieved by the artist who has refined his
skills into miniature proportions as seen in this piece. Another
example of an exquisite miniature vase with animal-head
handles, decorated with a lotus scroll against a sgraffiato
yellow-ground, with Qianlong mark and of the period, was sold
twice in these rooms, 8th April 2009, lot 1601, and 9th April
2013, lot 15.

IMPORTANT CHINESE ART 175