Page 64 - 2019 September 13th Christie's New York Important Chinese Works of Art

The function or meaning, if any, of the square perforations in the walls of the square socle remains unknown. Several Western Zhou socled
gui vessels have a large, wide, arched opening in each of the socle’s side walls, but those openings difer in nature from the perforations on
the present vessels, as they were integrally cast with the vessel, and, in interrupting socle’s bottom edge, they cause the socle to resemble
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a table, or altar, with four sturdy legs, at least to our eyes. In fact, small square perforations seem to occur only in the bases of socled gui
vessels with ribbed decoration from the late Middle Western Zhou period.
Many sacral vessels, particularly wine vessels, were supplied with covers during the Shang dynasty. Many food vessels were outftted with
covers during the Zhou dynasty, including both gui and ding vessels, the covers presumably serving to keep the food hot and favorful and
to protect the vessel’s contents from possible contaminants. Thus, the presence of original covers in association with these gui vessels is
entirely in keeping with the taste and practice of the Middle Western Zhou period (c. 975–c. 875 BC); what is remarkable is that both covers
not only have survived but are still together with their vessels.
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Bronze vessels sometimes were made in pairs, and often in sets, during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the vessels linked by inscription,
style, benefactor (i.e., the one who commissioned the vessel or set), or benefciary (i.e., the person in whose ceremonies the vessel was to
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be used). Even so, because many vessels have been lost and because many sets have been dispersed, entire sets of vessels—or even
just pairs—seldom appear together today. Formerly exhibited at the Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut, a pair of Middle
Western Zhou covered gui vessels—known as the Lu Hou Gui—sold at Sotheby’s, New York, on 18–19 March 2014 (lot 108) ; each standing
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on four slender legs rather than on a square socle, the two vessels in the Lu Hou Gui pair are roughly contemporaneous with the present
vessels. A pair of Middle Western Zhou gui vessels with ribbed decoration, related to the present pair, sold at Sotheby’s, London, on 25
March 1947 (lot 83). Arguably the most famous pair of covered gui vessels in the United States, however, is that from the distinguished
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collection of Frederick M. Mayer (1899–1974), of New York, which was sold at Christie’s, London, on 24–25 June 1974 (lot 219) ; dating to
the Spring and Autumn period (771–476 BC), likely to the sixth century BC, those imposing vessels have dramatic, dragon-form handles
and covers whose large, openwork handles suggest blossoms. One gui from the Mayer pair was acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art
(1974.73); the other gui, which was acquired by Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd, is now in the collection of The Asia Society, New York
(1979.103). Though we refer to them as a pair, it is possible that the present gui once were part of a larger group of vessels, a group that
perhaps even included the previously mentioned the Shi Xie Gui in the Shanghai Museum, which is the same size as the present vessels
and, except for its inscription and missing cover, is otherwise identical to them—though, this, of course, is merely conjecture, as there is no
evidence to suggest that the Shi Xie Gui was originally directly associated with the present vessels.
Virtually identical to the Shanghai Museum’s Shi Xie Gui, which once was in the Qing Imperial Collection and is published in the 1749
Xiqing Gujian catalogue, the present gui vessels keep the fnest company and travel in the most rarefed circles. And they claim an enviable
provenance, having been handled by Eskenazi Limited, London, and having passed through the celebrated collection of Bella and P.P.
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Chiu of Hong Kong and San Francisco. 41
Visually compelling and strikingly beautiful bronzes with bold decoration, exquisite patina, and distinguished provenance, these gui vessels
are art-historically important for their reinterpretation of the traditional gui form through the elevation of the bowl on a square socle and
through the perfection of abstract, ribbed décor. This new interpretation signals the fnal break with the stylistic legacy of the previous
Shang dynasty and the establishment of a distinctive Zhou-dynasty mode. In fact, these gui vessels are major monuments in the history of
Western Zhou bronzes.

到了西周晚期 (約公元前875至771年)，連座簋日漸式微，直棱紋這一 出一對近似本拍品的西周中期直棱紋青銅簋。 38 但在美國，最為人津
裝飾紋樣也幾近淘汰。新式青銅簋在器腹之下置圈足，或承三短足， 津樂道的連蓋簋應是著名紐約藏家梅夫德 (Frederick M. Mayer，1899至
腹與蓋均飾橫條紋，此類風格自西周晚期以降長盛不衰，就此可證諸 1974年) 的一對青銅簋，兩者均於1974年6月24-25日經倫敦佳士得拍出
上海博物館藏史頌簋 (館藏號45688) 32 及大都會藝術博物館藏二簋 (拍品編號219)； 39 它們應出自春秋時代 (公元前771-476年)，很可能是
(館藏號1975.66.1a, b及1988.20.3a, b)。 33 公元前六世紀的作品，其外觀古雅沉穆，一雙夔耳妙趣橫生，蓋頂飾
碩大玲瓏的花形捉手，克利夫蘭美術館投得其中一簋 (館藏號1974.73)
至於方座立面之方孔，其功能或用意何在現已無從稽考。也有若干西 ，另一例的買家是洛克菲勒三世伉儷 (Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller
周連座簋的座子，在每個立面鏤一寬碩的拱形開光，但其性質有別於 3rd)，後者已入藏紐約亞洲協會博物館 (館藏號1979.103)。我們雖稱本
本拍品的方孔，因為它們與器體連鑄而成，且影響了座子下沿線條， 拍品為配對之作，但整套器物的數目可能更多，或許連前述的上海博
加上敦重的四足，故在今人眼中，其形宛如几案或禁子。 34 實際上， 物館是 簋也是其成員之一，該例與本拍品大小相同，而且除了有銘
方形小孔似乎僅見於西周中期後段的直棱紋帶座簋。 文及無蓋之外，俱與本拍品一般無二，但這純屬筆者臆測，因為尚無
證據顯示是 簋的來源與本拍品直接相關。
許多商代彝器 (尤其是酒器) 皆連蓋。周代也有不少食器 (如簋和鼎) 配
蓋，應是用之為食物保溫、保鮮和保持衛生。故此，這些配有原蓋 上海博物館藏是 簋乃清宮舊藏，著錄於1749年出版的《西清古鑑》
的傳世青銅簋，完全合乎西周中期 (公元前975至875年) 的審美觀與慣 ，本拍品與之如出一轍，足見其彌足珍貴，且歷年經手者俱為名家巨
例；最難能可貴的是，本拍品不僅二蓋俱存，且配對的原器亦保存 擘。這對青銅簋的來源斑斑可考，曾先後納入倫敦埃斯卡納齊有限公
完好。 司 40 和著名的趙氏山海樓古代青銅器珍藏 (香港及三藩市)。 41
商周二代，青銅器有時候會配對製作， 35 通常為數件一組，各器之間 本季推出的青銅簋紋飾創新、鏽色斑斕且流傳有緒，觀之靜穆大方、
的關聯可求證於銘文、風格及作器者 (即訂製某件或某組器物之人) 或 古趣盎然，此外更巧用方座加高器身，運用抽象直棱紋的手法亦技臻
紀念者 (即祭奠對象) 的身份。 36 但由於許多器物下落不明，加上不少 妙絕，對傳統簋式的演繹一新耳目，其於藝術史上的地位不言而喻。
組合內的作品已各散東西，流傳至今且完整如初的組合或配對之作寥 這種嶄新的詮釋手法為商代青銅遺制劃上了句號，代之而起的是獨樹
若晨星。2014年3月18-19日，康涅狄格州紐黑文市耶魯大學美術館藏一 一幟的周代風格。綜上所述，足見本拍品誠乃西周青銅史上的圭臬
對西周中期連蓋魯侯簋經紐約蘇富比拍出； 37 該對作品四足修長，但 之作。
無方座，年代與本拍品相去不遠。1947年3月25日，倫敦蘇富比也曾拍