Page 32 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, Nov 2014 Hong Kong
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Image courtesy of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London

The present vase exemplifies 18th century imperial taste for pure            本拍品體現了十八世紀皇家宮廷對白淨上乘的玉石的青睞,以精湛的
white jade stone, expertly carved with archaistic elements and               雕工飾仿古和大自然的紋飾。在古時,玉有著純潔和長壽的象徵,而
decorative motifs from nature. From early times, jade was regarded           且擁有比金銀更崇高的地位,溫潤無暇的白玉尤其珍貴。在乾隆平定
as extremely precious, more expensive than gold or silver and was            回疆前,新疆和田玉內運的道路還沒有打通,因此能以如此罕大的白
associated with purity and powers of immortality. Fine very even             玉來製成瓶子和山子是極為罕見的。儘管到了十八世紀玉器的玉料來
white stones without inclusions or flaws were particularly prized.           源問題得以解決,但是能雕琢出像本拍品如此巧奪天工的精品亦實屬
Prior to Qianlong’s conquest of the Xinjiang regions, stones of quality      難得,多為宮廷賞物。
white jade large enough to be worked into vases and boulders were
extremely rare. Even with the increased supply of white jade in the          本器以淺浮雕工藝刻梅鵲紋,構圖疏逸,留白恰如其分,玉匠刻意不
18th century, exquisite pieces such as the present lot were                  多加雕琢來顯玉質潤澤純美。梅花冬末即開花,一樹獨先天下春,象
exceptional and much admired at court.                                       徵堅忍和純淨,加上玉本身也有純潔的寓意,工匠在玉上刻梅花,展
                                                                             示了純淨廉潔的主題。此類玉質上佳的花瓶通常會配以簡潔的構圖,
The carved decoration on the vase was designed to emphasize the              營造出低調的華麗。Salting遺贈維多利亞和阿爾伯特博物館藏一件青
quality of the stone, with the majority of the body left smooth and          白玉雕鵪鶉紋瓶,造型相似,見Ming Wilson著,《Chinese Jades》
plain, decorated with birds and a prunus tree to the centre in shallow       ,倫敦,2004年,頁51,編號50。
relief. The theme of the ‘purity and incorruptibility’ of jade is reflected
in the craftsman’s choice of decoration of prunus. Prunus, as the first      本器的造型和瓶側所飾的瑞獸式耳均受到古代青銅禮器的啟發。乾隆
flowers to bloom at the start of the year, springing from withered old       帝好古敏求,崇尚慕古之風,曾下旨命工匠以不同材料仿製古代青銅
branches, are emblematic of perseverance and purity. Vases of this           器的裝飾及造型,故宮博物院藏一件白玉雕蓋瓶也飾有類似的獸耳,
type, worked from high quality stones, are often carved with similarly       參閱鄭欣淼,《故宮博物院藏品大系:玉器編10》,北京,2011
understated and elegant compositions. Compare a pale greenish-               年,圖版46。
white jade vase of related shape with a scene of quails on a riverbank,
from the Salting Bequest (acquisition no.c.1920-1910) in the collection      另見一件類似形制但紋飾較繁縟的玉瓶例子,香港佳士得,2006年
of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated by M.Wilson,          11月28日,拍品編號1402。再參考Harold E. Stack舊藏一件造型較修
Chinese Jades, London, 2004, p.51, no.50.                                    長,亦有瑞獸式耳裝飾的例子,拍賣於香港邦瀚斯,2012年11月24
                                                                             日,拍品編號232。
Elements of the current vase, including the winged mythical beast
handles and the shape, were inspired by archaic bronze ritual vessels.
Archaism deeply appealed to the Qianlong emperor and he ordered
many works of art be made as replicas of archaic bronze shapes
and decoration. Compare a related white jade vase and cover with
similar handles illustrated in Compendium of Collections in the Palace
Museum: Jade 10: Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, no.46.

A vase of similar shape and handles but more ornately decorated was
sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28 November 2006, lot 1402. Another
example with winged-beast handles but of more slender shape, from
the Harold E. Stack Collection, was sold in these rooms on
24 November 2012, lot 232.

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