Page 178 - 2019 September 10th Sotheby's Important Chinese Art Junkunc Collection

his set of ornamental pieces, reputedly from a royal tomb at Jincun, near Luoyang, Henan
province, represents a unique example of chariot fittings including fixtures for parasol
Tspokes, possible attachments for joining the shaft to the chariot, and ornaments for the
horse yoke. The present set is exceedingly rare in terms of its presentation and combination of fittings,
and no other examples of this form appear to be recorded by far.

Parasols were associated with chariots that belonged to high-ranking officials, nobles and royals. As
symbols of authority, umbrella-shaded chariots conferred status to their owners, and were taken into
their graves upon their death. Constructed of wood, these vehicles would be perishable, but models cast
in bronze have been excavated from burial sites. The most famous come from the mausoleum of Qin
Shi Huangdi (259 - 210 BC) near Xi’an in Shaanxi province, see Wu Hung et. al., Chinese Sculpture, New
Haven, London and Beijing, 2006, figs 1.28 and 1.29, for two half-size bronze replicas of umbrella-shaded
carriages drawn by four horses.

For a smaller-size example of a light carriage drawn by one horse, unearthed from an Eastern Han (AD
25-220) tomb of a general or governor, at Leitai, Wuwei county, Gansu province, see Annette L. Juliano
and Judith A. Lerner, ‘The Silk Road in Gansu and Ningxia’, Monks and Merchants: Silk Road Treasures
from Northwest China, The Asia Society Museum, New York, 2001, pp 41-2.

The sumptuous ornamentation of the present set of bronze fittings illustrates the importance given to
the parasol in the Warring States period (475-221 BC), when the chariot assumed a less military and a
more ceremonial role. Embellishment became the focus of attention with inlay as the most prestigious
decorative technique, and the simultaneous use of gold and silver the most expensive by far. Meant to
reflect the social rank of their owners, these bronze ornaments became emblems of prestige, see Colin
Mackenzie, ‘From Diversity to Synthesis. Changing Roles of Metalwork and Decorative Style in China’,
Asian Art: The Second Hali Annual, London, 1995, pp. 170-187, where, pl. 10, a parasol fitting inlaid in gold
and silver from the late 2nd-1st century BC is illustrated. The same piece was included in the exhibition
catalogue Inlaid Bronzes and Related Material from Pre-Tang China, Eskenazi, London, 1991, cat. no. 16,
where it was catalogued as ‘chariot fitting’.

本品尤為奇罕，製工精良，紋飾華美，車馬之部件， 《Monks and Merchants: Silk Road Treasures
包括一組蓋弓帽及軛角飾，據傳出自河南洛陽金村， from Northwest China》，亞洲協會美術館，紐
目前尚未見同制之例，當為孤品。 約，2001年，頁41-2。
華蓋為古代王公貴族和高級官僚馬車的一部分。裝有 此組戰漢時期的車馬部件紋飾繁複精美，可見其主地
羅傘的馬車象徵權力，彰顯車主的社會地位，身後隨 位之重要。銅錯金或錯銀為名貴裝飾工藝，同時錯
之入殮。馬車多為木造，容易腐化，但銅鑄馬車則 金銀則更顯華貴。此類精製銅飾反映其主的社會地
可保存至今，最著名之例為陝西省西安市附近秦始 位，代表其顯赫身份，見馬麟，〈From Diversity
皇陵所出土的青銅馬車模型，錄巫鴻等，《Chinese to Synthesis. Changing Roles of Metalwork and
Sculpture》，紐黑文、倫敦及北京，2006年，圖 Decorative Style in China〉，《Asian Art: The
1.28及1.29。 Second Hali Annual》，倫敦，1995年，頁170-
187，圖版10收錄一件公元前二世紀後期至一世紀之
另見一略小馬車例，出土於甘肅省武威雷台的一座東
銅錯金銀蓋柄箍；並載於展覽圖錄《Inlaid Bronzes
漢將軍墓或官墓，見Annette L. Juliano及Judith A.
and Related Material from Pre-Tang China》，
Lerner，〈 The Silk Road in Gansu and Ningxia〉，
埃斯卡納齊，倫敦，1991年，編號16。

176 JUNKUNC: ARTS OF ANCIENT CHINA II