Page 118 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Nov 2014 Hong Kong
P. 118

The Property of a Gentleman 士紳藏品

176                                                                         The forms for these vessels are based on archaic bronzes buried in
An Imperial blue-glazed ritual altar set for the                            Zhou dynasty tombs. See for example, the fu and dou in the Arthur M.
Temple of Heaven, comprising a fu and cover and a                           Sackler collection, dated to the Eastern Zhou dynasty and illustrated
pair of dou and covers                                                      by J.So, Eastern Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler
Qianlong seal marks and of the period                                       Collections, Vol.III, Smithsonian Institute, New York, 1995, nos.23-28.
The set modelled in imitation of archaic bronze ritual vessels, the fu of   Other examples of dou and fu are illustrated in Zhongguo Qingtongqi
rectangular form moulded with confronted mythical beasts angled up          Tulu (Xia), Beijing, 2005, pp.295, 299, 301 & 302 for dou vessels; and
from a moulded band of keyfret raised on an angled pierced foot moulded     pp.296, 300, & 303 for fu vessels, all dated to the Spring and Autumn
with lappets and impressed with a seal mark on the underside, the loop      period and classified in the section as ‘food vessels’.
handle on each of the shorter sides emerging from an animal-head, the       The present pieces would have been used in state rituals, for which
cover with a stylised taotie mask design on each side and the shorter       different colours of vessels were designated for use at different sites by
sides also each with a simple loop handle, all beneath the raised rim with  an imperial decree issued in 1748. Blue vessels were used at the Temple
wave-like edges and impressed mark on the inside, the two stem bowls        of Heaven, where the emperor made offerings to the heavens at the
moulded with decorative bands and high splayed foot and an impressed        Qigutan, or Altar for Bountiful Harvest, during the first lunar month of the
mark on underside, the domed covers each with moulded bands above           year. As the Son of Heaven, the emperor linked heaven and earth, and
the rim, beneath the handle formed as two twists of rope, the inside with   his secluded existence in the Imperial Palaces was punctuated by the
an impressed mark, all covered with a deep violet-blue glaze pooling and    performance of solemn ceremonies, for example to mark the agricultural
recessing to highlight the delicate moulded decoration.                     seasons, and thus to preserve order in the universe. Although performed
The fu and cover: 25.7cm (10 1/8in) long; each dou and cover: 26.7cm        privately, the correct observance of these ceremonies was considered
(10 1/2in) high (6).                                                        vital to secure peace and prosperity, and avert disaster. The traditional
                                                                            form and highly ritualised use of these vessels reflects the concerns for
HK$1,200,000 - 1,500,000                                                    the long-term stability and continuity of the Chinese empire.
US$150,000 - 190,000

清乾隆 御製藍釉供器一組(豆兩件,簠一件)
陽文「大清乾隆年製」篆書款

Provenance 來源:
A distinguished European private collection and thence by descent

116 | Bonhams
   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123