Page 17 - Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Christie's Hong Kong May 29, 2019

fig. 2 detail of the current jar
圖二 本罐上之細圖

is chuan 船 in Chinese and provides a rebus for chuan 傳 meaning to pass on 另一個線索則是端坐於精美山水屏風前方的孩
something, such as rank, from one generation to another. A further clue to the 兒。後者顯然是在模仿官員呈拜先生之態，其
desire for sons to achieve rank is the fact that one holds a fan over the head 右方有一童子正執卷埋頭苦讀（圖二）。有些
of another, suggesting rank, while a further child sits in state in front of an 孩子只是在戲耍玩鬧，泛指兒孫安康。罐肩飾
elaborate screen, on which is painted a landscape. The child is clearly imitating 二開光，內繪折技花果，當中既有象徵長壽的
an adult official, while another boy, seated to his right, is reading a book to 蟠桃，也有代表喜慶和庇蔭的石榴花。開光外
suggest a studious temperament (fig. 2). Some of the boys simply play in a 為卍字錦地，暗示禎祥之兆多不勝數。
way that suggests that they are healthy and happy. On the shoulders of the jar
are cartouches containing fruiting and flowering sprays – including peaches, 是次拍賣的佳瓷乃大阪萬野美術館舊藏，其近
symbolic of longevity and pomegranate flowers, suggesting both celebration 似例寥寥可數，散見於國際各大收藏。其中一
and protection. The cartouches are reserved against a band of wan 卍 lattice, 例於 1980 年在北京朝陽區出土，現為北京首
multiplying the good wishes 10,000 times.
都博物館藏，圖見《首都博物館藏瓷選》圖
This spectacular jar was formerly in the collection of the Manno Art Museum, 版 121（北京：1991）；另一例為香港藝術館
Osaka, and a small number of similar jars can be seen in other international 藏；第三例出自 Charles Russell 與 Ivy Clark 夫
collections. A jar, which was excavated in 1980 in the Chaoyang district of 人舊藏，現已納入大英博物館珍藏，圖見霍吉
Beijing, is now in the Capital Museum, Beijing (illustrated in Shoudu bowuguan 淑（J. Harrison-Hall）著作《Ming Ceramics in
cangci xuan, Beijing, 1991, pl. 121); another is in the Hong Kong Museum of the British Museum》頁 238 編號 9:50（倫敦：
Art; a third, which was formerly in the collections of Charles Russell and Mrs. 2001）。其他近似罐包括：哥本哈根裝飾藝術
Ivy Clark, is now in the British Museum, London (illustrated by J. Harrison- 博物館珍藏，圖見 D. Lion-Goldschmidt 所著
Hall, Ming Ceramics in the British Museum, London, 2001, p. 238, no. 9:50. 《La Porcelaine Ming》頁 134 編號 124（弗里
Further similar jars are in the collections of the Museum of Decorative Arts, 堡：1978）；江西省豐城縣博物館藏，圖見
Copenhagen (illustrated by D. Lion-Goldschmidt, La Porcelaine Ming, Fribourg, 《中國文物精華大辭典》頁 393 編號 766（上
1978, p. 134, no. 124); the Fengchengxian Museum, Jiangxi province (illustrated 海：1995）；以及東京出光美術館藏，載於
in Zhongguo wenwu jinghua da cidian, Shanghai, 1995, p. 393, no. 766); and the
Idemitsu Museum of Arts, Tokyo (illustrated in Chinese Ceramics in the Idemitsu 《出光美術館中國瓷器珍藏》圖版 191（東京：
Collection, Tokyo, 1986, pl. 191. Smaller versions of this jar type are also known. 1986）。此外，著錄中也有若干較小的近似罐。

The current jar is remarkable for the exceptional quality of its blue, for its lively 此罐青料上乘、紋飾生動，而且題材深具中國
decoration, and for the way in which its decoration reflects certain aspects of 傳統文化的特色，更體現了嘉靖皇帝和朝廷的
Chinese traditional culture, and particularly the interests and preoccupations of 審美意趣和念茲在茲的議題，凡此種種，皆為
the Jiajing Emperor and his court. 絕色佳瓷的典型特徵。

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