Page 28 - Imperial Sale Chinese Works of Art June 1 2016 HK

On the subject of tianhuang seals of the Qing dynasty, Qianlong’s 我以為其材質應為黃玉髓之類。此印因存屬於不同的組
‘tianhuang triple linked seals’ are worthy of discussion. These linked 別庫房，余曾多次呼籲召集有關組別專家共同鑒定，給
seals comprise of three small seals connected by chains, and were 此印一個科學的說法，所惜至今未見回復。故宮庫中此
smuggled out of the Palace in Puyi’s jacket when he was evicted in 類連印，非止此一件也。溥儀所言「田黃」實未可信，何
1924. Puyi called these seals tianhuang when he returned them to the 況，其以往所說多見謬誤。
Chinese government in 1950.Their nomenclature has remained until
today along with the belief that the seals were carved from a single 今此這一對印章，雕鈕琢款之董滄門，與林佶、黃任同
pebble. I have closely observed and researched these seals on numerous 為康熙時人。此印石之製作，在康熙五十八年，其時三
occasions. First of all, they are not made of tianghuang; secondly, they 人均在褔州。後入清內府珍存，印側不刻御製詩，而用
are not carved from a single boulder. In summary, the hardness of 前人詞句，知其是後來才被貢入內廷。入宮之後包裹裝
the stone, the sharp edges and the clinking sound made by the links 潢，完全是內廷的形式，可見當時皇帝對於這一對印石
are not characteristic of tianhuang; and one of the circular finials was 的重視程度。咸豐二年四月（1852年）降旨將原慶郡王
made separately and skilfully attached with glue, so they are by no 府 賜 給 奕 訢為府邸（即 現今 的 恭王 府），八 月，又 駕 幸
means carved from one stone. I am inclined to think they are made 奕訢「朗潤園」，為之題園名、賜詩，極示關切等等。當
of yellow chalcedony. Since these seals are stored in the warehouse of 在此前後，特別甄選先朝列祖珍藏的這一對田黃石印，
another department, I have requested the relative specialists to conduct 由清內務府奉旨鐫刻印文，賞與奕訢。印文刻成雖在此
a scientific assessment of its material. There are many other such linked 時，當時此印已是百餘歲之文物。因之，我認為此一對
seals in the Palace. Puyi’s claim of them being tianhuang should not 田黃石印章，才可稱為清早期之標準。
be taken at face value, as he was proven to be inaccurate on several
occasions. 閱清史可知，奕訢生於道光十二年十一月廿一日，道光
帝下定決心立儲是在其二十六年（18 4 6 年），至 病歿前
The finials of this pair of seals are carved by Dong Cangmen, who 的三十年正月十四日（1850年），道光帝詔十重臣公啟建
was active during the Kangxi period, and was a contemporary of Lin 儲秘匣，其中有「封皇六子奕訢為親王」，是為政治平
Ji and Huang Ren, who were all natives of Fujian. This pair of seals 衡術也。當時的道光帝，下決心不立文韜武略具強的皇
was made in late Kangxi period when all three of them were residing 六子，而選心慈恭孝的四子奕詝，或有旁人不能理解的
in Fuzhou and later entered the Imperial collection.The fact that they 苦衷，其欲使弱子正位，而極力安撫皇六子，使之為弱
were not inscribed with Imperial poems indicates that the seals were 子之輔弼。手心手背皆為肉，人父之苦心抉擇，幾人能
only presented to the court after they had been carved. The careful 懂？
packaging, crafted in accordance with court standards, clearly reflects
their importance in the eyes of the new imperial owner. In the fourth 據其中「御賜為國藩輔」等文字可知，當初還曾有御筆
month of the second year of the Xianfeng reign (1852), the residence 書賜等物。所惜清宮檔案，屢罹劫難，今已難查到相關
once belonging to Prince Qing was bestowed upon Yixing by the 的記錄了。目前在故宮博物院所藏「緙絲蘆 雁圖軸」
Xianfeng Emperor. In the eighth month of the same year, the Emperor （圖一）（原靳伯聲藏），上鈐有這方「皇六子和碩恭親
visited Yixing’s garden, the Langrunyuan. He personally inscribed the 王」印（圖 二）。而 現 存 於旅 順 博 物 館 的《平定 張格爾
garden name and composed poems for it, showering the new prince 叛亂圖》卷（共十卷），第一幅《渾巴什河之戰》的引首
with attention. It is perhaps also around this time that the Emperor 處，鈐有 這 兩 方「皇 六子和 碩 恭 親 王」、「御賜 為國藩
selected these seals and commissioned the Imperial Household 輔」印章（圖三、四）。此圖道光九年（1828年）繪成，是
Department to carve the seal faces for Prince Kung. Despite the seal 為彰顯道光「安定西北」的豐功偉績，此圖應當是咸豐
faces having been carved later, at the time these seals were already 初年，將先帝功業圖卷賞賜恭親王，以示不忘孝悌恩寵
treasures from over a century ago. They are, in my opinion, the
paradigm of tianhuang seals in the early Qing period.

Prince Kung was born on the twenty-first day of the eleventh month
of the twelfth year of the Daoguang reign, corresponding to 1833. In
1850, when the Daoguang Emperor was critically ill, he summoned
ten of his most important ministers and revealed the secret edict he
had previously written, in which he made the Fourth Prince Yizhu
his successor, and the Sixth Prince Yixin Qinwang, ‘Imperial Prince of
the First Rank’. Given that Yixin was a more competent prince, this
decision may seem puzzling, yet the intent may have been to achieve
a political balance, in the hope that the talented and able Yixin would
support the new Emperor, who was known for his merciful and filial
qualities.

The bestowal of these seals was most likely accompanied by an imperial
inscribed plaque, amongst other items. Unfortunately the Imperial
archive has suffered much desecration and is not complete, so records
of this event have not been identified.A kesi panel titled Geese and Reeds
(fig. 1) formerly in the collection of Jin Bosheng (1901-1967) and

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