Page 75 - Christie's Hong Kong Important Chinese Works Of Art May 30 2022
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Yuan Blue-and-white Porcelain, Shanghai, 2012, pp. 84-5, no. 13)(fig. 1), The S. C. Ko Tianminlou Collection, 1987, illustrated in the Catalogue,
for example, is decorated with the same major bands as the current vessel, Part 1, pl. 4. Two meiping vases, excavated at Gao’anxian in 1980
but the cloud-collar is filled with ducks on a lotus pond. The Shanghai and now housed in the Gao’an City Museum are illustrated by Zhu
vase also has a feature, shared with a number of other Yuan blue and Yuping in Yuandai qinghua ci, Shanghai, 2000, pp. 132-3, nos. 6-1
white meiping vessels: it has tricorn scrolling devices between the and 6-2 . Both the Gao’an vases share with the current example petal
collar pendants. These are not seen on the current vase. The majority panels around white meiping vessels: it has tricorn scrolling devices
of large Yuan blue and white meiping vases, including the current between the collar pendants. These are not seen on the current vase.
vessel, have petal panels around the foot, containing a variety of The majority of large Yuan blue and white meiping vases, including
decorative elements. These three, very different, bands – cloud-collar, the current vessel, have petal panels around the foot, containing
peony scroll, and petal band – provide a pleasing contrast to each other, a variety of decorative elements. These three, very different, bands –
and complement the shape of the vase. cloud-collar, peony scroll, and petal band – provide a pleasing contrast
to each other, and complement the shape of the vase.
It is interesting to note that the same decorative scheme of cloud-collar
on the shoulders, bold peony scroll around the central band and petal It is interesting to note that the same decorative scheme of cloud-collar
band around the foot, was also used to excellent effect on another on the shoulders, bold peony scroll around the central band and petal
classic form found among large Yuan dynasty blue and white wares band around the foot, was also used to excellent effect on another
– guan jars. This decorative scheme, with the addition of a further classic form found among large Yuan dynasty blue and white wares
petal band around the neck, can be seen, for example, on a jar in the – guan jars. This decorative scheme, with the addition of a further
collection of the Tianjin Museum, illustrated by the Beijing Capital petal band around the neck, can be seen, for example, on a jar in the
Museum in Blue and White of the Yuan 元青花, Beijing, 2009, p. 51. collection of the Tianjin Museum, illustrated by the Beijing Capital
It is noteworthy that on the Tianjin jar, as on the current meiping, Museum in Blue and White of the Yuan 元青花, Beijing, 2009, p. 51.
there are no tricorn scrolling elements between the cloud-collar It is noteworthy that on the Tianjin jar, as on the current meiping,
pendants, allowing the cloud-collar itself to enjoy full visual impact, there are no tricorn scrolling elements between the cloud-collar
and enhancing the effective contrast with the peony scroll below. pendants, allowing the cloud-collar itself to enjoy full visual impact,
and enhancing the effective contrast with the peony scroll below.
Of the other extant large Yuan dynasty meiping vases, a vase with
the same major bands as the current meiping, but only floral scrolls, Of the other extant large Yuan dynasty meiping vases, a vase with
without geese, in the cloud-collar pendants, is in the collection of the same major bands as the current meiping, but only floral scrolls,
the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, illustrated in The World’s Great without geese, in the cloud-collar pendants, is in the collection of
Collections, Oriental Ceramics, vol. 11, Kodansha series, Tokyo, 1980, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, illustrated in The World’s Great
col. pl. 74. Another meiping with very similar decoration was included Collections, Oriental Ceramics, vol. 11, Kodansha series, Tokyo, 1980,
in the Hong Kong Museum of Art exhibition Chinese Porcelain, col. pl. 74. Another meiping with very similar decoration was included
以元青花大型梅瓶而言,器肩紋飾最出色的莫如垂雲狀雲肩,本拍品飾如意頭雲肩四枚,內填纏枝蓮紋及飛雁穿纏枝
菊紋。觀乎傳世元代梅瓶,其雲肩樣式不盡相同。以上海博物館藏大型梅瓶為例,其主紋飾帶與本拍品雷同,但雲肩內
填蓮池鴛鴦圖,圖見上博出版的《幽藍神采:元代青花瓷器特集》頁83-4編號13(上海:2012)(圖一)。上博梅瓶與若干元
青花梅瓶尚有一項共同特徵,即雲肩開光之間不像本拍品般留白,而是襯以三角形構圖的祥雲花卉。元青花梅瓶的足
脛泰半飾蓮瓣開光,內繪諸多裝飾元素,本拍品便是一例。這三道風格迥異的紋飾帶(即雲肩、纏枝牡丹和蓮瓣開光) 既
對比鮮明,亦與瓶形相互呼應。
頗堪玩味的是,一模一樣的紋飾組合(即肩飾如意開光,中段飾飽滿的纏枝牡丹,脛繪蓮瓣開光) 亦見於元代青花罐
這一經典器形,且視覺效果同等出色。以天津博物館藏青花罐為例,除了器頸增添一道蓮瓣開光外,其紋飾格局大致
相同,圖見北京首都博物館《元青花》頁51(北京:2009)。尤須一提的是,天津實例跟本梅瓶一樣,雲肩之間並無三角形
構圖的祥雲花卉,其實這既可彰顯如意開光的視覺効果,雲肩與下方纏枝牡丹紋的對比也益發鮮明。
別的傳世元代梅瓶當中,有一例的主紋飾帶跟本拍品大致相同,惟其雲肩內僅繪纏枝花卉,而無大雁,此乃波士頓
美術館珍藏,圖見《The World’s Great Collections, Oriental Ceramics》(東京:講談社系列,1980) 卷十一彩色圖版74。
此外尚有一件梅瓶,其紋飾大同小異,載錄於香港藝術館1987年出版的《天民樓藏瓷》展覽圖錄上冊圖版4。1980年,
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