Page 21 - CHRISTIE'S Marchant Nine Decades of Chinese Art 09/14/17

province were required to return to the capital as soon as 示，該處的製瓷業規模儼然，且燒造史歷時
they received the imperial edict. This makes it clear that 約四百年。出土的明初文物清楚顯示，當時
there was offcial production at the Longquan kilns as late 正處於另一個龍泉青瓷的全盛時期，出產了不
as 1464 - the beginning of the Chenghua reign. Volume 少器型碩大、造型優美的上乘之作。一件大窯出
I of the Ming Xianzong Shilu further suggests that a court- 土的明代瓷盤殘片底書「官」字。於2009年8月，
appointed offcial was regularly sent to supervise the fring 江蘇淮安河下遺址發現了一個大型的龍泉碎瓷堆
of these wares for imperial use up to 1464, and possibly even 積層，其出土文物數量驚人，當中大多數是明洪武
to 1465 (see Zhu Boqian (ed.) Longquan qingci, Taipei, 1998, (公元1368–98年) 至天順 (公元1457–64年) 年間的
p. 47; and Tsai Mei-fen (ed.), Bilu – Mingdai Longquanyao 作品。據考古人員推測，龍泉青瓷運到此處，再沿
qingci, Taipei, 2009, p. 22). After the Chenghua reign 運河北上至京城。從這批文物看來，獲選者皆為精
(1464-85) the quality of Longquan celadons declined, and 品，稍有瑕疵者即敲碎廢棄。
their fnal ‘golden era’ was over.
明代文人的作品中，時有提及龍泉青瓷。大型器物
Further evidence comes from archaeological excavations. 也是他們讚賞有加的作品，例如盛佛手柑的盌盤或
Those carried out at the Longquan Dayao kiln site have 梅瓶等。像拍品中的龍泉青釉刻雲龍紋蓋罐這一類
revealed sherds bearing offcial marks, and other excavations 大器，更是上上之選。雖然自十五世紀以降，龍
have emphasised that fne Longquan wares were also made 泉青瓷質量下降，但1591年的文人筆記仍提到：
at other kiln sites in the Ming dynasty. Excavations at the 「冬時插梅，必須龍泉大瓶。」此處所指可能是
Dayao site, begun in 2006, have provided an indication 明初的龍泉瓷器。張應文 (活躍於公元1530–94
of the extensive production at this site, which appears to 年) 在其《清閟藏》陶瓷篇中，臚列了元代
have continued for some 400 years. Excavated examples 及明初陶瓷古玩上品，景德鎮成化葡萄盃
from the early Ming period have clearly shown that this 為一例，但頗堪玩味的是，張氏最推
was another highpoint for Longquan celadon production, 崇的依然是龍泉器物，詳見蔡和璧
when both large and fnely potted vessels of superb quality 論文，刊於《The Emperor’s broken
were manufactured. One fragment of a Ming dynasty dish china - Reconstructing Chenghua
excavated at the Dayao kilns bore the Chinese character porcelain》頁16
guan (offcial) on its base. In August 2009 the excavation (倫敦：1995)。
of a deposit containing Longquan celadons at Hexia,
Huai’an City, Jiangsu province, revealed a huge quantity 是次拍賣的元代大型蓋罐環刻
of vessels, predominantly dating to the Ming dynasty from 龍紋（拍品編號701），氣韻
the reign of the Hongwu Emperor (1368-98) to that of the 生動，在近似例中難得一見。
Tianshun Emperor (1457-64). The archaeologists surmise 同類型大罐多配荷葉蓋，它們
that celadons from the Longquan kilns were sent here to be 創燒於宋代龍泉窯，但元明二
shipped up the Grand Canal to the court. The fnds suggest 代仍燒造不斷。1974年，四川
that only the fnest pieces were chosen and that those 簡陽縣東溪園藝場元代古墓
deemed to lack the required perfection were broken and 出土了一件器身較高但光素無
discarded. 紋的近似罐。該處雖是元代古
墓，但考古學家相信此罐出自南
The literati in the late Ming dynasty frequently refer to 宋，圖見《龍泉青瓷：四川省博
Longquan celadons in their writings. Among the vessels 物館藏龍泉窯瓷器精品》頁134–5
which were specifcally mentioned are large vessels, such as 編號38 (澳門：1998)。1975年，浙
bowls or dishes to hold Buddha-hand citrons and meiping 江義烏市出土一件光素無紋的元代蓋
vases. Vessels of large size, such as the jar in the current sale 罐，圖見朱伯謙編《龍泉窯青瓷》頁
(lot 701), were regarded as especially desirable. Although 196編號171 (台北：1998)。1955年，四
the quality of Longquan celadons declined after the 15th 川巴中縣魚井村出土一例較小的近似明
century, nevertheless even in 1591 one writer noted that: ‘If 代蓋罐，圖見前述《龍泉青瓷：四川省
plum blossoms are to be arranged in winter, large Longquan 博物館藏龍泉窯瓷器精品》頁162–3編號
celadon vases are a necessity’. It seems probable that he was 55。北京故宮藏一例明代「清香美酒」刻花
referring to those vessels made in the early Ming period. 罐，圖見前述著作《龍泉青瓷：四川省博物
In the chapter on ceramics in the Qing bi cang (清閟藏 館藏龍泉窯瓷器精品》頁262編號247。伊斯
Pure and Arcane Collecting) by Zhang Yingwen (張應文 坦布爾的托普卡比宮亦有若干近似罐，它們或
fl. 1530-94), the author lists antique Yuan and early Ming 光素無紋，或飾凸棱，其中一例 (配有原蓋) 的
ceramics which are worthy of praise, including Chenghua 上半器身更環刻纏枝花卉，圖見艾爾斯
grape cups from Jingdezhen, but, interestingly, the author (J Ayers) 及康蕊君 (R Krahl) 合著的《Chinese
ranks the wares of the Longquan kilns highest of all (see
Ts’ai Ho-pi, ‘Chenghua Porcelain in Historical Context’, Lot 702
The Emperor’s broken china - Reconstructing Chenghua porcelain,
London, 1995, p. 16).

The large Yuan dynasty jar (lot 701) in the current sale is
particularly rare in having a boldly-carved dragon encircling
its body. Jars of this form, often with lotus-leaf shaped lids,
were made at the Longquan kilns from the Song dynasty,
through the Yuan dynasty and into the Ming dynasty.
A taller, undecorated jar of this form was excavated in

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