Page 124 - Sotheby's Important Chinese Art, Sept. 21-22, 2-21, NYC

examples in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Geng 無論形制品類，成組之器皆非常罕見。本組五供共三
Baochang, Ming Qing ciqi jianding [Appraisal of Ming and 種器形，均以古器為原型：鼎、觚乃高古青銅禮器，
Qing porcelain], Hong Kong, 1993, fig. 212, and in Gugong 自宋代起藝匠即開始以瓷器仿效；而燭台則或以唐代
Bowuyuan cang wenwu zhenpin quanji/Qinghua youlihong
The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. 銅器為基礎，然而直至明朝之前，此器形一直鮮見於
Blue and White Porcelain with Underglazed Red, Shanghai, 瓷器。
2000, vol. 2, pl. 56.
The idea of wu gong, ‘five offering vessels’, may have had 壇前供器，自元代開始已有，當時一組僅三件，共一
its origin in the Ming dynasty. The earliest extant complete 爐兩瓶。大英博物館珍藏大維德爵士故藏元代青花瓶
groups are probably those carved in stone that were placed （亦稱「大維德瓶」），瓶上題記元代至正十一年（
on massive stone altars in front of the Ming Emperors’ tombs 即1351年），兩瓶連同一香爐為景德鎮附近一所廟宇
outside Beijing, beginning with that of the Yongle Emperor, 而製。另可參考一套三件青花供例，江西萍鄉元代窖
where they presumably replaced in permanent form the
utensils employed in the funerary ceremonies (fig. 1). These 藏出土，錄於陳燮君、陳克倫及陸明華 ，《幽藍神
sets, which are equally seen at the Eastern and Western Qing 采：元代青花瓷器特集》，上海博物館，上海，2012
(1644-1911) tombs, including the Qianlong Emperor’s tomb, 年，編號70。燭台器形罕見於瓷器，亦或由外國引
comprise a similar incense burner and candlesticks, but a 入。永樂年間，瓷燭台靈感來自中東金屬器形，至
pair of vases of pear-shaped hu form with ring handles. Sets 正德一朝，青花燭台多帶阿拉伯文字，但亦明顯作佛
of this composition are also known in blue-glazed porcelain,
decorated with gilded biscuit dragons, of Jiajing mark 教相關之用，可比較兩例，一藏北京故宮博物院，圖
and period (1522-1566), for example from the Grandidier 載於耿寶昌，《明清瓷器鑑定》，香港，1993年，圖
collection in the Musée Guimet, Paris, illustrated in Oriental 212；另一例收錄於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集•
Ceramics. The World’s Great Collections, vol. 7, Tokyo, New 青花釉裡紅》，上海，2000年，卷2，圖版56。
York, San Francisco, 1981, fig. 66. One rare Yongzheng (1723-
1735) set of painted enamel ware still follows the Ming sets 五供之概念，或源自明代。現存最早成套作例或為
quite closely in shape; see Gugong Yangxindian wenwu zhan.
Ba dai di ju/Hall of Mental Cultivation of The Palace Museum. 北京城外明十三陵正面巨型石製五供例，最早見於
Imperial Residence of Eight Emperors, Hong Kong Museum of 永樂帝皇陵，相信乃為取代喪禮供器之用（圖一）
Art, Hong Kong, 2017, cat. no. 138. 。相近成組作例亦見於清代皇陵，包括乾隆裕陵在
The present five-piece combination with gu-shaped vases 內，此類例香爐及燭台均與本組相類，但多配環耳壺
seems to be an innovation of the Qianlong period, when 一對。此類另見有嘉靖藍釉素胎描金龍紋例，如一套
sets of the same composition as the present one became 出自Grandidier 收藏，現存於巴黎吉美博物館，圖載
popular in many different versions, for example, with various 《Oriental Ceramics. The World’s Great Collections》
coloured grounds, in fencai, in doucai, painted in pink enamel
only, carved in imitation cinnabar lacquer, in cloisonné and ，卷7，東京，紐約，舊金山，1981年，圖66。 另
in glass, and some can still be seen in situ, for example in the 比一罕見雍正例，效仿明代作例器型，載於《八代
historic Tanzhe Temple in Beijing (fig. 2), or in the Forbidden 帝居——故宮養心殿文物展》，香港藝術館，香
City; but complete sets of any type are very rare. 港，2017年，編號138。
The only other wu gong set of gold-ground porcelain altar
vessels that appears to be recorded is also preserved in the 如本套連花觚之五供組合，似乎首創於乾隆年間，更
Palace Museum, Beijing, and was included in the exhibition 可見粉彩、鬥彩、胭脂紅彩、仿剔紅、掐絲琺瑯、料
Lightness of Essence. Tibetan Buddhist Relics of the Palace
Museum, Macao Museum of Art, Macao, 2004, cat. no. 107-7 器等品類，部份作例現仍藏於原處，如北京潭柘寺（
(fig. 3). A single censer of this design is held in the Shenyang 圖二）、紫禁城等。儘管如此，任何材質的整套完整
Imperial Palace Museum, Shenyang, published in The 五供保存至今都極屬罕見。
Prime Culture Relics Collected by Shenyang Imperial Palace
Museum, Shenyang, 2008, p. 239; and a related candlestick, 金地粉彩五供完整成套者，目前應僅知一例，現存
but with a blue key-fret border at the foot, was sold at 於北京故宮博物院，曾展於《妙諦心傳•故宮珍藏
Christie’s Hong Kong, 26th April 2004, lot 989.
藏傳佛教文物展》，澳門藝術博物館，2004年，編
號107-7（圖三）。另見瀋陽故宮藏一單一香爐例，
載於《瀋陽故宮博物院院藏文物精粹》，瀋陽，2008
年，頁239；再見一燭台例，足飾藍彩回紋，售於香
港佳士得2004年4月26日，編號989。

Fig. 2 A set of five-piece cloisonné offering vessels © 1921
publication: Bernd Melcher, China. Der Tempelbau, Hagen, 1921
圖二 銅胎掐絲琺瑯五供組 © 1921出版：Bernd Melcher，
《中國寺廟建築》，哈根，1921年

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