Page 108 - Christie's July 9th 2020 Hong Kong Important Chinese Works of Art

THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
2856

A PAIR OF SHOUSHAN SOAPSTONE
SEALS FOR PRINCE YI
KANGXI-YONGZHENG PERIOD (1662-1735)
Each seal is carved with a square columnar base surmounted by
a recumbent unicorn mythical beast with black inlaid eyes and
a bushy tail. The pair of beasts is carved in mirror image with
each other. The seal face of one is carved in intaglio with a three-
character inscription, Yi Qinwang, ‘Prince of Yi’, the other is
carved in relief with a four-character inscription, Huang shisan zi,
‘The Thirteenth Son of the Emperor’.
Huang shisan zi seal: 2 Æ in. (7 cm.) high; seal faces
Yi Qinwang seal: 2 5 in. (6.9 cm.) high (2) 印面
HK$400,000-600,000 US$52,000-78,000
The present pair of seals was carved for Prince Yi, (1686-1730),
Yunxiang, who was the thirteenth son of the Kangxi Emperor (r. 1662-
1722), and the younger brother of the Yongzheng Emperor (r. 1723-
1735). Prince Yi had been born Aisin Gioro Yinxiang but when his
brother became emperor, he had to change his name to Yunxiang to
avoid naming taboo. As one of Yongzheng’s most trusted political
allies and beloved kin, Yunxiang was promoted by Yongzheng to Prince
of the First Rank immediately upon his accession to the throne, and
was charged with the posts of Superintendent of Court Affairs and
Commander-general of the Ministry of Revenue, with accountability
for the Three Storehouses including the management of the imperial
ateliers of the Yangxindian. Upon Yunxiang’s death, Yongzheng granted impressions
an exception by allowing his name to be reverted to Yinxiang. The 印文
Qianlong Emperor later elevated the Prince Yi title to an ‘iron-cap’
status so it became perpetually inheritable.
The style of carving of the finial and the inscription are similar to an
imperial soapstone ‘Yuanjian huihao’ seal of the Kangxi Emperor sold at
Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 May 2019, lot 3009. Compare also to a pair
of soapstone seals from the Kangxi period with qilin-form finials but
without inlaid-eyes sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 30 November 2016,
lot 3352.

清康熙/雍正 壽山石瑞獸鈕怡親王允祥自用對章

印文：「怡親王」、「皇十三子」
愛新覺羅·胤祥 (1686-1730)，清聖祖康熙帝十三子。生於康熙二十五
年十月初一。康熙六十一年（1722），雍正帝登基，避帝諱改名允祥，
受封為怡親王，尋命總理戶部三庫，養心殿各宮廷作坊皆受其管轄。雍
正八年五月四日病逝，雍正下旨將允祥一名改回胤祥，為雍正一朝唯一
得以保留「胤」字的皇帝兄弟。乾隆年間，祀盛京賢王祠下命王爵世襲。
此對章印鈕及印文的雕刻風格皆與康熙壽山石「淵鑒揮毫」寶璽十分接
近，見香港佳士得 2019 年 5 月 29 日，拍品 3009 號。風格及題材類似
的對章亦可參考一對康熙壽山石麒麟鈕印，見香港佳士得 2016 年 11 月
30 日，拍品 3352 號，惟該麒麟眼部未作鑲嵌處理。

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