Page 108 - Christies Alsdorf Collection Part 1 Sept 24 2020 NYC

崇聖御寶 - 詹姆斯及瑪麗蓮 ·阿爾斯多夫珍藏

Emperor, of which there are several versions in the decoration. The Qianlong Emperor followed the lead
Palace collections, entitled One or Two – Painting of the of the Northern Song Emperor Huizong (r. AD 1100-
Qianlong Emperor Appreciating Antiques, painted about 1126) in commissioning the publication of illustrated
1745-50 (illustrated in Forbidden City – Imperial Treasures catalogues of his collections, such as the Shiqu baoji
from the Palace Museum, Beijing, Virginia Museum of (Precious Collection of the Stone Moat); Midian zhulin
Fine Arts, 2014, pp. 74-5, no. 49), confirms his fondness (Pearl Forest of the Secret Hall), the Tianlu linlang
for Song-dynasty monochromes. In addition to the (Tianlu collection of masterpieces), and the Xiqing gujian
early fifteenth century blue and white wares depicted (Xiqing mirror of antiquities). The latter, which was
in this painting, there is a Northern Song dynasty Ru compiled in 1749, provided an especially rich source
ware narcissus bowl and a small Southern Song greyish of forms for porcelain production based upon ancient
crackled-glaze dish. From the evidence of these paintings bronze prototypes. In addition, hand-painted albums
(and others) it appears that the antique ceramics most such as Taoci puce, produced in the latter part of the
appreciated by the Qianlong Emperor were those of the Qianlong reign, include precise coloured illustrations
Song dynasty and those of the fifteenth century. This ties and written descriptions of Song dynasty wares in
in with the comments made in his writings, where he the eighteenth century imperial collections. Thus,
usually compliments contemporary pieces by comparing the ceramics of the Song and early Ming dynasties
them to specific items from these periods, and it also provided the inspiration for a number of late seventeenth
explains why the contemporary imperial porcelains made and eighteenth century glazes and forms, while the
in the style of ancient ceramic wares are usually based on metalwork of the Bronze Age also provided the
Song dynasty or fifteenth century Ming-dynasty pieces. inspiration for a number of ceramic forms, as can be seen
th
in several 18 century monochrome porcelains in the
Qianlong also provided a further source of fascinating Alsdorf Collection.
insights into his feelings regarding ceramics among his
collection of antiques. He composed poetic inscriptions During the reigns of the Kangxi, Yongzheng and
and had them inscribed on a huge number of items in Qianlong Emperors, the imperial kilns benefitted from
the palace collections, including a significant number the appointment of several extremely talented officials.
of Song-dynasty ceramics. That Song wares were In 1680 Zang Yingxuan, a member of the Bureau of
greatly treasured by the Qianlong Emperor is clear from Forestry and Crafts, was involved with re-organising the
inscriptions applied to Northern and Southern Song kilns, and in 1682/3 he was appointed superintendent of
ceramics in the National Palace Museum, Taiwan (see the imperial kilns. He remained in this post until 1688,
Obtaining Refined Enjoyment - The Qianlong Emperor’s and during his tenure porcelains of very high quality
Taste in Ceramics, Taipei, 2012) as well as similar pieces were made at Jingdezhen. Some of the early directors of
in the Palace Museum, Beijing. There are also several the Qing imperial kilns have been particularly associated
Song-dynasty ceramics bearing Qianlong inscriptions in with the monochrome glazes produced during their time
the collection of Sir Percival David. One of these is a in office at Jingdezhen. One of these was Lang Tingji
Ru ware bowl, the interior of which bears an inscription (AD 1663-1715) who was Governor of Jiangxi province
incised into the glaze, which was composed by the and concurrently supervisor of the Imperial kilns from
emperor in the bingwu year, equivalent to AD 1786 AD 1705 to 1712. The name Langyao (Lang wares) has
(discussed by Rosemary Scott in Imperial Taste: Chinese been applied to several monochromes made under his
Ceramics from the Percival David Foundation, London and period of supervision. It is most often applied to pieces
Los Angeles, 1989, pp. 34-5, no. 11). Interestingly, this with a brilliant copper-red glaze, but is sometimes also
Ru bowl, identifiable by its glaze, the crackle structure, applied to porcelains with copper green glazes, and to
and the addition of a metal band around the mouth very thinly potted ‘bodiless’, white wares for which he
rim, appears to be depicted on the Yongzheng AD 1728 was also famous. The ability to produce fine copper-
Guwan tu (Pictures of Ancient Playthings) in the Percival red glazes like those celebrated so-called xianhong ‘fresh
David Collection, discussed above-suggesting that the reds’ of the early fifteenth century, seems to have been
bowl had almost certainly been part of Qianlong’s lost in the second part of the Ming dynasty, and was not
father’s collection. reinvented until the Kangxi reign. Good copper-reds
were made by the end of the seventeenth century, but
The Qianlong Emperor’s passionate interest in antiques it is recorded that Lang Tingji in the early eighteenth
of all types exerted an influence on the designs of all century was particularly famous in his lifetime for
manner of works of art made for his court – including producing excellent copies of the fine glazes of the early
ceramics – providing inspiration for both forms and fifteenth century.

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