Page 13 - Sotheby's Important Chinese Art, Sept. 21-22, 2-21, NYC

THE MACLEAN COLLECTION:
CELEBRATING THE ART OF CHINA’S BRONZE CRAFTSMEN

宗古林淵：巴里•馬克林珍藏重要青銅器

REGINA KRAHL
康蕊君

To compile a collection of Chinese archaic bronzes as 巴里•馬克林先生收藏的中國高古青銅器全面多樣，
comprehensive and varied as that of Barry MacLean 品類稀珍，尤為難得。在中國歷史上，青銅武器及工
is a remarkable feat. It is weapons and tools made of 具的出現定義了青銅時代，並將其與石器時代及鐵器
bronze that define the Bronze Age – as against the Stone 時代加以區分，但實際上當時青銅冶匠們的創造力遠
or the Iron Age – but the repertoire of ancient China’s 不止如此。商周之際，青銅文化極盛，既見地位崇
bronze casters was vast. To showcase their ingenuity and 高的祭祀禮器，亦有融入了工匠創意巧思的日常用器

inventiveness is clearly what Barry MacLean had in mind, 等。馬克林先生在收藏青銅器的過程當中，明顯有意
when he assembled this group. The classic ritual vessels 體現其匠心獨運的原創性，本場所呈即清晰展示了這
and bells that were used in the ancestral ceremonies 一點。
of the Shang (c.1600-1046 BC) and Zhou (1046-221
BC) dynasties always occupied an exalted position 中國青銅器的鑄造，可遠溯至公元前兩千紀中葉左
among China’s works of art; but as the collection aptly 右。在馬克林先生的收藏中，可見到各時期的青銅珍
documents, bronze craftsmen equally devoted their care 例，如見一件青銅斝，屬於商代中期河南鄭州地區
and creativity to the production of luxuries for daily use, 的二里崗文化（編號 4）。公元前 1300 年左右盤庚遷
musical instruments, as well as practical items. 殷（今河南安陽地區），青銅藝術亦於此時期開始綻
The bronze craft in China can be traced to around the 放異采，技術日趨成熟，風格莊重有力且數量眾多。
mid-2nd millennium BC and the MacLean collection 馬克林先生收藏有多件殷墟時期的青銅器佳例，包括
includes examples from all its stages, beginning with 一件 Oeder 舊藏的有銘饕餮紋壺，紋飾精湛多樣，器
a jia from the mid-Shang dynasty Erligang period that 形穩重（編號 8）；另見一斝例，出自孔門後人收藏，
flourished in Zhengzhou, Henan (lot 4). The Anyang 紋飾細緻，銘文罕見（編號 11）；亦見一對鼎例，銘
period from around 1300 BC, when the Shang had 文呈鏡面相對，珍罕至極（編號 1）。 先生收藏西周
moved to Anyang, also in Henan, saw the first flowering 時期作例可見一套遣器，銘文逐器遞減，學術意義非
of bronze art with a powerful, fully matured style 凡（編號 14）；東周春秋時期作例則有一青銅鑒（編
and a prolific production. The MacLean collection 號 17），尺寸巨大，製工精美繁縟，相信是採用當時
includes some prime examples of this period, such 新創的失蠟法鑄造；另一春秋時代作例為一件青銅盉，
as the elliptical hu wine container with its varied low- 尤為罕見，紋飾華麗奇譎，引人讚歎（編號 12）；再
relief decoration from the Oeder collection (lot 8); a 見一件戰國青銅盉例，嘴及足呈鳥形，器身飾繁複獸
masterfully proportioned jia wine vessel with finely 紋（編號 15）。以上所列僅寥寥數例，此收藏雲集中
detailed design and frilly flanges from the collection 國高古青銅珍品，一展藏家獨到眼光，極堪細賞。
of a descendant of Confucius (lot 11); or a rare pair of
ding with complementary inscriptions (lot 1). From the
Western Zhou dynasty (1046-771 BC) comes a rare set
of ritual vessels with important inscriptions (lot 14):
from the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC) of the
Eastern Zhou a massive jian (lot 17) with mask handles
so fanciful that the bronze craftsmen probably had to
resort to the new production method of lost-wax casting;
and an extraordinary tri-lobed ewer, he, with eccentric
dragon and bird designs (lot 12) from this period, and
another he with bird spout and feet and intricate bird
decoration (lot 15) from the Warring States period (475-
221 BC) beautifully document the development of this
vessel form. These are just a few highlights from an
extensive assembly of fine Chinese archaic bronzes that
was compiled with an eye for items that are remarkable
in one way or another, whatever their date or usage. It is
a treasure trove worth exploring.

8 SOTHEBY’S COMPLETE CATALOGUING AVAILABLE AT SOTHEBYS.COM/N10748