Page 16 - Three Qianlong Rarities Christies Hong Kong May 2018

fig. 8 A doucai moonflask, Qianlong mark and period fig. 9 A blue and white moonflask, Qianlong mark and period
Collection of the Tianjin Municipal Museum The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore
圖八 清乾隆 鬥彩春耕圖抱月瓶 六字篆書款 圖九 清乾隆 青花春耕圖抱月瓶 六字篆書款
天津市藝術博物館藏品 巴爾的摩華特斯藝術博物館藏品

Baltimore (fig. 9), which, like the current flask, also bears a design based upon 景均有兩株梧桐，這一細節未見於《御製
the illustrations of the Gengzhi tu – on one side depicting a farmer using a 耕織圖》刻本。在畫的前景添加梧桐（梧
harrow and on the other side a farmer using a plough, both implements pulled 桐科，又名青桐），其用意應該不單止是
by a water buffalo, as on the current flask. As all the other decoration appears to 為了使畫面平衡有致，或框景為圖。梧桐
be the same on the two vessels, it is possible that they formed part of a specially 的出現，固然絲毫無損畫面的真實感，但
commissioned set. 眾所週知，鳳凰喜棲梧桐，而這種瑞鳥僅
見於太平盛世，且與統治者息息相關。所
On both the current flask and the Walters flask, the agricultural scene includes 以，此樹可能隱含了歌頌皇恩浩蕩、祈求
two wutong trees in the foreground, which do not appear in the printed Yuzhi 時和歲稔之意。此外，梧桐音諧「同」，
Gengzhi tu. It is likely that the addition of the 梧桐 wutong trees (parasol trees, 故亦暗喻「天下一統」。
Firmiana simplex) in the foreground of this scene is not simply an artistic device
to create a pleasing balance and frame the design. While the inclusion of these
trees in no way detracts from the realism of the scenes, it is understood that
wutong trees are the favoured perch of the phoenix - a mythical bird which only
appears during peaceful and prosperous reigns and is closely connected to the
ruler. The trees may therefore be a subtle compliment to the emperor and a wish
for peace and prosperity. Wutong trees also provide a rebus for ‘together’, and
thus unity.

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