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9 Although Chen was an accomplished artist of the period, little was
A CARVED VERY PALE TURQUOISE-GLAZED SNUFF BOTTLE mentioned about his career in 19th century literary sources. One such
Chen Guozhi four-character mark, circa 1820-1860 account appears in Richard John Lynn’s 1991 translation of Zhao
Of compressed pear-shape rising to the cylindrical neck and original Zhiqian’s book on snuff and snuff bottles of the late 19th century.
stopper, covered overall with a translucent pale bluish-white glaze, In this account, the unique quality of Chen’s workmanship was
intricately carved with a continuous landscape scene of dwellings described as similar to ‘carved porcelain bottles with the technique of
amidst lush hills and rivers, the base incised with a four-character a painter... just as they might appear in an album of paintings done by
kaishu mark, with a stopper. the Song-era Painting Academy... although there are others who try to
7.5cm (2 7/8in) high (2). imitate his work, no one ever manages to match it.’ Another account
by Jin Wuxiang, author of Suxiang Suibi in the Guangxu period, stated
HK$100,000 - 150,000 that the value of Chen’s work as ‘every piece being valued at ten
US$13,000 - 19,000 pieces of gold’, and the magistrate named Jiang Juting presented
him with a calligraphy couplet in praise, reading ‘Earth and clay
約1820-1860年 陳國治 瓷胎淡松石釉浮雕山水鼻煙壺 turned to gold and jade; a man in plain cloth becomes of royal rank’;
「陳國治作」楷書款 see H.Moss, V.Graham, and K.B.Tsang, A Treasury of Chinese Snuff
Bottles. The Mary and George Bloch Collection. Vol.6. Part 3. Arts of
Provenance 來源: the Fire, Hong Kong, 2008, pp.759-762.
Sotheby’s London, 15 November 1965, lot 105
Hans Goldstein collection and thence by descent 陳國治為安徽祁門人，清道光、咸豐年間景德鎮著名瓷雕藝人。他擅
於以精細入微的工藝在瓷器上雕刻山水、花卉等紋飾，深淺適度，栩
倫敦蘇富比，1965年11月15日，拍品105 栩如生，富有畫意。許之衡曾於《飲流齋說瓷》中形容陳國治為「巧
Hans Goldstein舊藏，並由家族繼承 匠」；金武祥在《粟香隨筆》記載陳國治的作品為「每一器值数 十金」
；蔣矩亭亦曾有「瓦缸勝金玉，布衣傲王侯。」之讚美。民國陶務監
Chen Guozhi, a native of Qimen, Anhui Province, was renowned 督郭葆昌曾說過，瓷雕「南有陳國治，北有王炳榮，雕瓷賽金玉，出
for his ability to carve designs on porcelain with the intricacy and 手王侯輕」，可見陳國治的精湛工藝為後世所讚嘆。參考H.Moss，
elegance of those found on paintings. He was active during the V.Graham和K.B.Tsang著，《A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles. The
Daoguang and Xianfeng reigns and may have worked for the imperial Mary and George Bloch Collection. Vol.6. Part 3. Arts of the Fire》，
court, evident by the appearance of a reign mark and his name on 香港，2008年，頁759至762。瑪麗及莊智博鼻煙壺舊藏也有一件與
some of his wares. The elaborate yet delicate landscape carvings he 本壺相似的例子，後拍賣於香港邦瀚斯，《瑪麗及莊智博鼻煙壺珍
achieved, as exemplified by the present snuff bottle, established his 藏：第一部分》，2010年5月28日，拍品81。
prominence and fame.
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