Page 18 - Bonhams Chinese Works of Art June 2015 Hong Kong

Image courtesy of the Palace Museum, Beijing
北京故宮博物院藏

The vase is a superb example of the high technical standards and Although this combination of plants and flowers is frequently seen on
artistry gained on famille rose porcelains from the Yongzheng reign. Yongzheng doucai wares, it is rare to find them on famille rose vessels
With the innovation of the famille rose palette including opaque and such as on the present vase. Often famille rose vessels of the period
semi-opaque enamels, a wider range of colours fired on porcelain depict nandina and lingzhi with orchids or magnolia; compare a faux-
that appeared softer and gentler was perfected in the Yongzheng bois famille rose brushpot, Yongzheng mark and period, from the
period. These graduated shades of pink, white and yellow enamels Qing Court Collection, with very similar treatment of narcissus flowers,
were expertly used by craftsmen to render delicate shading, making illustrated in Fire and Colour, Imperial Kiln Porcelain of Qing Dynasty
designs more complex and pleasing. The narcissus blooms of the from the Palace Museum Collection, Macau, 2011, p.221, no.85. See
present vase exemplify this, exhibiting subtle different hues of white also a famille rose dish, Yongzheng mark and period, decorated with
ranging from fine pure white to yellowish and greenish white tones. narcissus together with a spray of roses, in the Victoria and Albert
Museum, London, illustrated by R.Kerr, Chinese Ceramics, Porcelain
The composition of the decoration, with undulating stems and leaves of the Qing Dynasty 1644-1911, London, 1986, p.111, no.94.
with clusters of ripe berries above and various views of full blooms
and buds, also exhibit the aesthetic sensibilities and astute artistry 此雍正粉彩瓷以白地彩繪為主，其胎體薄輕，釉面純淨，充分襯托出
favoured in the Yongzheng period. The use of the vivid iron-red enamel 粉彩之嬌麗。白地上施粉、白、黃三色，彩繪出水仙、天竺和靈芝紋
for the nandina against the softer and gentler famille rose hues also 飾，富見自然氣息，形象栩栩如生，令人賞心悅目，充分表現出恰到
provides a pleasing visual contrast. 好處的典雅和優美，無疑能代表雍正粉彩瓷器最高水平之佳作。

For examples of Yongzheng famille rose vessels demonstrating a 故宮博物院藏一件尺寸較大的清雍正粉彩桃花紋直頸瓶，同樣落有
similar aesthetic of asymmetrical and irregular, spreading, composition 「大清雍正年製」楷書款，外壁繪桃樹一株，蔓遍器身，其層次分明
lines formed by gnarled branches or long stems, see a larger famille 及富有立體效果的構圖與本器相似，氣質高雅，著錄於《故宮陶瓷
rose vase, Yongzheng six-character mark and of the period, with 館，下編》，北京，2008年，頁430，編號342。另外對比一件尺寸
large branches of peony, from the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in 較大繪有牡丹玉蘭紋的粉彩瓶，為清雍正/乾隆時期，拍賣於香港佳
Ceramics Gallery of the Palace Museum, Part II, Beijing, 2008, p.430, 士得，2013年11月27日，拍品3438。
no.342. Compare also another, but larger, famille rose globular vase,
Yongzheng/Qianlong, decorated with magnolias and peonies, sold at 此器中所繪天竺、水仙和靈芝，寓「芝仙祝壽」之意，也會用於宮廷
Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 November 2013, lot 3438. 慶帝后壽誕之時，是雍正時期常見之紋飾。

The combination of nandina berries, tianzhu 天竺, and narcissus, 此類構圖較常見於鬥彩作品上，類似於本器的粉彩瓷中，在傳世品中
shuixian 水仙, form a rebus for ‘heavenly immortal’. Together with 非常少見。請參考一件現藏於故宮博物院的清雍正仿木紋釉粉彩水仙
the fungus, lingzhi 靈芝, they form the auspicious phrase ‘heavenly 花筆筒，見《鬥色爭妍：故宮藏清代御窯瓷器精品集》，澳門，2011
immortal, longevity fungus’. This group of decoration, symbolising the 年，頁221，編號85。再對比一件雍正帶款粉彩水仙牡丹紋盤，藏於
wish for health and a long life, was therefore very appropriate to mark 倫敦維多利亞和阿爾伯博物館，倫敦，1986年，頁111，編號94。
an imperial birthday celebration.

16 | BONHAMS