Page 163 - 2019 OctoberSur Quo Wei Lee Collectim Important Chinese Art Hong Kong

This intricately potted vase, applied with a brilliant bluish- 秀麗瓷瓶，採十六褶式，罩施釉色清朗潤潔，有宋瓷意韻，
green glaze, derives its form from a Han dynasty bronze 正合雍正雅瓷典風。
flask, but with the innovative feature of sixteen vertical ribs
simulating textile pleats. In its arresting luminous bluish-green 窰工篩減宋代龍泉釉中鐵質，乃得如斯水瑩青釉，康熙創
glaze, this vase reflects the Yongzheng Emperor’s penchant 燒，雍正善之。唐英在雍正十三年著《陶成紀事碑記》
for celebrated Song dynasty wares and the remarkable ，記載當時研創青釉數種（見 S.W. Bushell，《Oriental
technical developments achieved at the imperial kiln to meet
Ceramic Art》，倫敦，1981年，頁197）。唐英自督陶起，
his specific taste.
便訪盡名窰古址，鑽研宋、明美瓷，其工、質、形、紋、
While a delicate, almost watery, celadon glaze had already 本，皆深熟於心，融會貫通，創新巧懷古之式，苦盡處終得
been created in the Kangxi reign, achieved by reducing the 大成。製器之技，蘊涵精湛巧藝，俗諺「十窰九廢」，講究
amount of iron typically found on Song dynasty Longquan 窰器釉料配製，精準掌控燒造溫度，方得完美結晶。是以至
celadons, it was during the Yongzheng period that production
雍正一朝，青釉技法日臻精熟，遂見本品釉藥澈淨明潤，為
of celadon wares greatly expanded. According to the
瓶身線條及隱現浮雕襯托，更顯雅緻。
Taocheng shiyi jishi beiji [Commemorative stele on ceramic
production], compiled in 1735 by the brilliant supervisor of the
此瓶器形十分罕見，然上海博物館藏一相似蒜頭瓶，錄於陸
imperial factory, Tang Ying (1682-1756), several varieties of
明華，《上海博物館藏品研究大系：清代雍正－宣統官窰瓷
celadon glazes were experimented with at the time (see S.W.
器》，上海，2014年，圖版4-18左。較常見之雍正蒜頭瓶器
Bushell, Oriental Ceramic Art, London, 1981, p. 197). One of
形有異於此，多為唇口撇足，與漢銅雛型較形接近。例見北
his successful recipes was to study in detail the finest antique
ceramics of the Song and Ming periods to understand their 京故宮博物院藏清宮舊藏藍釉蒜頭瓶，見《故宮博物院藏文
workmanship and physical quality, but also to comprehend 物珍品全集．顏色釉》，香港，1999年，圖版130。胡惠春
what makes their shapes and designs so harmonious and 舊藏孔雀釉例，也可作對照，見 Helen D. Ling 及仇焱之，
satisfying, and then to apply this knowledge to redesigned, 《抗希齋珍藏歷代名瓷影譜》，卷3，香港，1950年，圖版
modern versions inspired by the antiques. The proficiency 139，2017年11月29日在香港佳士得拍出，編號2856。
required in understanding the chemical compositions and the
firing of such monochrome vessels is reflected in the saying, 參考日內瓦鮑氏典藏雍正帶款冬青釉瓶，仿包袱凹凸摺
“Nine failures for ten charged kilns”. This vase is remarkable 紋，錄於 John Ayers，《Chinese Ceramics in the Baur
for its attractive luminous bluish glaze, a difficult tone to
Collection》，卷2，日內瓦，1999年，圖版279，與之成對
achieve, the purity of which is accentuated by the graceful
者，則售於香港蘇富比2000年10月29日，編號13。
curves of its profile.
The form of the current vase is rare. Another closely related
vase, in the Shanghai Museum, is illustrated in Lu Minghua,
Qingdai Yongzheng – Xuantong guanyao ciqi [Qing dynasty
official wares from the Yongzheng to the Xuantong reigns],
Shanghai, 2014, pl. 4-18 left. The more commonly found
Yongzheng reign-marked garlic-mouth vases are of slightly
different form, supported on splayed feet and with lipped rims,
closer to the Han dynasty metalwork prototypes. Examples
of these include a lazurite vase from the Qing court collection,
preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The
Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum.
Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 130. See also a
peacock feather vase from the J.M. Hu collection, illustrated
in Helen D. Ling and Edward T. Chow, Collection of Chinese
Ceramics from the Pavilion of Ephemeral Attainment, vol. III,
Hong Kong, 1950, pl. 139, and sold at Christie’s Hong Kong,
29th November 2017, lot 2856.
For a Yongzheng reign-marked celadon-glazed vase of
baluster form, similarly conceived with vertical lobes
skilfully simulating textile pleats, see the example in the
Baur collection, Geneva, illustrated in John Ayers, Chinese
Ceramics the The Baur Collection, vol. 2, Geneva, 1999, pl.
279, and its pair, sold in these rooms, 29th October 2000, lot
13.