Page 21 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Nov 2014 Hong Kong
P. 21
Compare a similar spinach-green jade double-
sided ‘chrysanthemum’ circular table screen,
Qing dynasty, illustrated by Zheng Xinmiao, ed.,
Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum:
Jade, Qing Dynasty, vol.8, Beijing, 2010, pl.157.
Since the table screen is one of the tallest works
of art for the scholar’s desk and thereby one of the
most visible and eye-catching objects, the choice
of subject matter on a table screen would not
have been an inconsequential matter. The various
design on the present lot presents a multitude of
well wishes, good health and blessings. The peony,
mudan or fuguihua in Chinese, is regarded as
the ‘King of Flowers’ and symbolises wealth and
honour. The depiction of a butterfly with peonies is
particularly meaningful, as together they form the
rebus fudie fugui which may be translated as ‘May
you have a multitude of blessings, wealth and high
social status’. The five bats illustrated on the reverse
refer to the wish for the ‘Five Blessings’ which
include old age, wealth, health, love of virtue and a
peaceful death.
參考北京故宮博物院藏一件清代碧玉雙面雕菊紋圓
插屏,其造型與本器相似,見鄭欣淼,《故宮博
物院藏品大系:玉器編8》,北京,2010年,圖版
157。
在眾多文房雅玩當中,插屏屬於案上用具中尺寸最
高的其中一類,也是最為顯眼和引人注目的文房用
品。由於是文房重要裝飾之一,所雕琢的圖案絕不
能馬虎。本插屏上雕刻各種富有吉祥寓意的圖案。
牡丹,有「富貴花」和「花中之王」之稱,代表財
富和高貴;當牡丹組合蝴蝶,取蝴蝶的諧音「福
疊」,更有富貴福疊的寓意。插屏另一面所飾的五
蝠紋也是吉祥的象徵,代表長壽、富貴、康寧、好
德和善終。
(two views)