Page 69 - 2020 Nov 30 Christie's Hong Kong Scholars Art Of China

2837

AN IMPERIALLY INSCRIBED ZISHA CHENGNI 清乾隆 紫砂澄泥倣宋玉兔朝元硯
‘RABBIT’ CIRCULAR INK STONE 「乾隆御銘」描金刻款
QIANLONG YUMING MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)
The top of the circular inkstone is moulded with a rabbit gazing at 硯首壁側刻：「仿宋玉兔朝元硯」楷書七字，硯背以弦紋一道相圍，中
the moon, surrounded by a raised band and a border incised and 刻一輪明月高舉長空，一靈兔作回首望月狀，周緣鐫刻乾隆御題硯銘一
gilt with a Qianlong imperial poem praising the inkstone, followed 首：「月之精，顧兔生。三五盈，揚光明。友墨卿，宣管城。浴華英，
by a Qianlong yuming mark and a four-character seal, huixin 規而成」。款題：「乾隆御銘」，鈐印：「會心不遠」。
buyuan, ‘epiphany in sight’, with a further incised and gilt seven- 參考北京故宮博物院藏同款乾隆御銘澄泥倣宋玉兔朝元硯，附乾隆戊戌
character inscription, fang Song yutu chaoyuan yan, ‘in emulation 年（1778）屬款紫檀嵌玉盒。
of an inkstone with rabbit and moon from the Song dynasty’.
4 ⅛ in. (10.5 cm.) diam, zitan box and cover

HK$260,000-400,000 US$34,000-52,000
Made of a combination of zisha, purple clay from Yixing, and chengni, inscription on the side
fine river mud baked and polished, the current ink stone belongs to a 壁側銘文
group of imperial ink stones made during the Qianlong period as gifts
for noteworthy officials. Compare a chengni ink stone with the same
decoration and imperial poem accompanied by a jade-inset zitan box
incised with the same poem and a cyclical wuxu year (1778) in the
Palace Museum, Beijin, refer to the museum’s official website: https://
www.dpm.org.cn/collection/studie/227597.html

65