Page 272 - Imperial Sale Chinese Works of Art June 1 2016 HK

3386

AN INSCRIBED AND DATED DUAN INKSTONE

DATED BY INSCRIPTION TO QIANLONG CYCLICAL DINGWEI YEAR,

CORRESPONDING TO 1787 AND OF THE PERIOD

The rectangular inkstone is carved standing on four tubular feet and
carved in shallow relief with elephant masks, its grinding surface
slightly recessed and surrounded by a moat-like inkwell. Each
vertical side is decorated with a mythical beast reserved on leiwen
ground. The double recessed base is carved in the centre with a
dated inscription corresponding to 1787 by Ruan Yuan, in which
he indicated the present inkstone was a gift from the Emperor
to him during the lianju event at the Luming banquet held at the
Chonghua Palace, ‘Palace of Double Glory’.
4 Ω in. (11.4 cm.) long, wood stand and cover, Japanese wood box

HK$260,000-400,000 US$34,000-52,000

PROVENANCE 來源
日本前首相犬養毅(1855-1932)珍藏（據日本木盒文字）
Collection of Inukai Tsuyoshi(1855-1932), Prime Minister of
Japan from 1931 to 1932 款識：乾隆丁未年新正月 重華宮鹿鳴宴聯句 恩賜 臣阮
元恭藏
Ruan Yuan (1764-1849) is widely recognised as one of the most
celebrated and multi-talented scholars of the Qing dynasty. Born in 附木蓋及座，日本木盒。日本木盒蓋面書「阮芸臺故物乾隆
Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, Ruan Yuan passed the jinshi examination 賜硯」，蓋内書「是為乾隆樣式賜硯琢法抿如此碩學芸臺故
in 1789, when he was only 25, and was subsequently appointed to the 物亦可以為珍貴」，落款「木坣」，朱泥印「犬養毅印」及
Hanlin Academy. Known as a highly accomplished calligrapher, painter 「子遠」。
and seal carver, Ruan Yuan is especially famous for his wide range
of research and publications, such as Chouren zhuan (Biographies
of Astronomers and Mathematicians), and for editing the Shisanjing
zhushu (Commentaries and Notes on the Thirteen Classics) for the
Qianlong emperor.

Lumingyan, or Luming banquet, was an annual imperial event
originated in Tang dynasty held by the local governments for the newly
selected scholars who passed local examinations. Here Ruan Yuan
used it to refer to the annual imperial banquet given to members of the
Hanlin Academy by Emperor Qianlong held at the Chonghua Palace
during the New Year. During such event, the scholars as well as the
Emperor would participate in a scholarly activity, lianju, ‘linked verses’,
in which the guests would improvise poetic verses and link them to
accomplish poems in a joint effort.

Compare, an inscribed imperial inkstone of Qianlong date and of
similar form but with taotie-mask feet and slightly larger in size (14 cm.
long) sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 May, 2014, lot 3377. Compare,
also, two square Shiqu chengni inkstones in the Beijing Palace
Museum and illustrated in The Four Treasures of the Study - Writing
paper and Inkstones, Hong Kong, 2005, nos. 97 and 98, pp. 146-148.

清乾隆丁未年 阮元款端石仿古石渠硯

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