Page 84 - Christie's Hong Kong May 31, 2017 Important Chinese Ceramics and Art

THE PROPERTY OF A HONG KONG PRIVATE COLLECTOR 清乾隆 粉彩嬰戲圖罐 六字篆書款

3030 來源
阿姆斯特丹佳士得，2001年11月20日，拍品199號
A FINE AND VERY RARE FAMILLE ROSE ‘BOYS’
JAR 罐撇口，短頸，溜肩，圓腹，圈足。罐身外壁以釉下青花加粉彩描繪庭院
嬰戲圖，一紅衣童子頭束髮冠，一手持鞭，身跨竹馬；一旁童子或舉旗揮
QIANLONG SIX-CHARACTER SEAL MARK IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE 舞，或敲鑼打鼓，形象生動活潑，場面喜氣洋溢。寓意吉祥，蘊含皇室厚
AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795) 盼多子多福的願景。罐小巧精致，釉彩圓潤飽滿，十分討喜。

The jar is finely potted with a compressed globular body raised on 以嬰戲題材作為陶瓷裝飾的最早記錄可追溯至唐代長沙窯，到了宋代，蘇
a low foot ring and decorated in bright underglaze-blue and famille 漢臣等名家以嬰戲為主題之畫作風行，器物亦盛行以此作為裝飾主題。時
rose palettes depicting a garden scene with sixteen boys engaging in 至明清，嬰戲圖達到鼎盛期，從簡單的一﹑兩個孩童到百多個，人物均神
various pursuits including riding on hobby-horse, holding banners, 態活潑，場面熱鬧。嬰戲圖寓意「連生貴子」、「人壽年豐」、「百子千
playing musical instrument, and piggybacking. 孫」等美好祝願，不論於宮廷或民間均十分盛行。值得注意的是，不同於
6 in. (15.3 cm.) high, box 前朝，雍正、乾隆兩朝官窯瓷器上所繪製之嬰戲圖孩童身形比例適中，姿
態多樣，設色華麗，營造出熱鬧活潑的氣息，一如本罐所描繪之氛圍。
HK$6,000,000-8,000,000 US$780,000-1,000,000
乾隆朝以嬰戲為主題之瓷器於博物館及私人珍藏均時有所見，但如此拍品
PROVENANCE 之粉彩小罐則極為珍罕，僅知北京故宮博物院藏一件尺寸相同但紋飾略異
之例，載於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品大系—珐琅彩·粉彩》，香港，1999
Sold at Christie’s Amsterdam, 20 November 2001, lot 199 年，頁106，圖版92號（圖一）。

The subject of boys or of children, with the connotation of auspicious
wish for fertility and many sons, was very popular on decorative arts
in China and can be traced back to as early as Tang dynasty. Song
dynasty court painter Su Hanchen (1094-1172) was particularly highly
regarded for his portrayals of lively children at play with characteristic
hair-styles and dressed in loose robes. The subject and this style
continued to be in favour by the Ming and the Qing Imperial courts as
can be seen on paintings, ceramics and various works of art.

One noteworthy trait of the works of art bearing the ‘boys’ motif during
Yongzheng and Qianlong periods is that unlike previous dynasties
and reigns, the heads and bodies of the boys are comparatively better
proportioned, their clothing more detailed, and the boys are engaging
in a greater variety of activities. When combined with colour schemes
such as doucai or famille rose palette, it adds a radiant liveliness to the
jolly and festive atmosphere.

Although this theme can be found on numerous Qianlong period
vessels, small jars with ‘boys at play’ motif such as the present one
appears to be extremely rare. Only one almost identical example
is known to be in the collection of Palace Museum, Beijing, and
illustrated in Porcelains with Cloisonne Enamel Decoration and Famille
Rose Decoration, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace
Museum, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 106, no. 92 (fig. 1).

fig. 1 Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing
圖一 北京故宮博物院藏品

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