Page 7 - Important Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Christie's Hong Kong May 29, 2019

of the Ming Imperial Factory at Jingdezhen, Hong Kong, 1989, pp. 134- 甜白釉為地，並飾以釉上礬紅鳳紋，圖見《景德鎮珠山出
5). Further evidence of the use of overglaze iron-red on its own has 土永樂宣德官窯瓷器展覽》頁 134-5（香港：1989）。至
come from Xuande excavations. A Xuande stem cup decorated with 於僅以釉上礬紅彩為飾的例子，俱屬出土宣德文物。1988
‘stencil’ style iron-red fish was unearthed from the Xuande strata at
the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen in 1988, and another Xuande stem 年，景德鎮御窯宣德地層出土一件紋飾帶模印風格的宣德
cup decorated with dragons amongst clouds in overglaze iron-red 礬紅魚紋高足盃，另一例出土於 1993 年的宣德高足盃則
was found in 1993 (illustrated in Imperial Porcelain: Recent Discoveries of 繪釉上礬紅雲龍紋，圖見《皇帝の磁器：新発見の景德鎮
Jingdezhen Ware, Osaka, 1995, pp. 40-1, nos. 45 and 47, respectively). 官窯》頁 40-1 編號 45 及 47（大阪：1995）。
In the Xuande reign there was a clear mandate for the potters to 宣德年間，陶工顯然是奉朝廷之命推陳出新，所以多件傳
experiment and so several Xuande porcelains have been preserved 世的宣德佳瓷俱結合了釉下青花與釉上礬紅。台北國立故
which combine underglaze blue and overglaze iron-red. A lidded
bowl in the collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei 宮珍藏蓋盌，便是結合了青花祥雲和礬紅龍紋的佳作。尤
combines underglaze blue clouds with overglaze iron-red dragons. It 須一提的是，台北故宮尚有二例紋飾相若的宣德蓋盌：一
is significant to note that the museum has two other Xuande lidded 例通體飾青花，另一例則糅合了釉下青花和釉上銅紅，圖
bowls with similar design – one being decorated wholly in underglaze 見《明代宣德官窯菁華特展圖錄》頁 162-167 編號 54-56
blue and the other combining underglaze blue and underglaze copper- （台北：1998）。有意思的是，大維德爵士珍藏中也有紋
red (illustrated in Catalogue of the Special Exhibition of Selected Hsüan-te
Imperial Porcelains of the Ming Dynasty, Taipei, 1998, pp. 162-167, nos. 飾相近的一組三件瓷器（典藏號 PDF 684、PDF A778 及
54-56). Interestingly, a similarly decorated group of three is in the PDF A678）。
collection of Sir Percival David (inventory numbers PDF 684; PDF
A778; PDF A678). 此類釉下青花與釉上礬紅相結合的嘗試，亦可證諸台北故
宮珍藏高足盃，其器身有若干紋飾帶僅飾以礬紅纏枝紋，
Further Xuande experimentation combining underglaze blue and 別的則結合了釉下青花與礬紅元素，圖見前述著作《明代
overlgaze iron-red can be seen on a stem cup in the collection of
the National Palace Museum, Taipei, which is decorated with some 宣德官窯菁華特展圖錄》頁 220-1 編號 83。但最流行的
bands of iron-red scrolls and other bands in which underglaze blue 搭配，應是以釉上礬紅波濤紋為背景，其上描繪釉下青花
elements and those in iron-red are combined (illustrated in Catalogue 龍紋或海獸。台北故宮珍藏高足盃也採用了這種色調，圖
of the Special Exhibition of Selected Hsüan-te Imperial Porcelains of the Ming 見前述著作頁 222-3 編號 85，而景德鎮御窯宣德地層也
Dynasty, op. cit., pp. 220-1, no. 83). The most popular combination, 曾於 1987 年出土一例釉下青花龍紋與釉上礬紅海水紋並
however, appears to be the depiction of dragons or sea creatures in 用的瓷盌，圖見前述著作《皇帝の磁器：新発見の景德鎮
underglaze blue against a background of turbulent waves painted in
overglaze iron-red. A stem cup with a decoration of sea creatures 官窯》頁 67 編號 96 及 97。本拍品以釉上礬紅為地，其
in this colour scheme is in the National Palace Museum, Taipei is 上綴以釉下青花纏枝花紋的格局，顯然源自同一波的技術
illustrated ibid, pp. 222-3, no. 85, while a dish and a bowl decorated 和藝術發展浪潮。
with underglaze blue dragons against overglaze iron-red waves were
excavated in 1987 from the Xuande strata at the imperial kilns at 本花盆的紋飾題材，有別於上文提及的近似出土花盆（詳
Jingdezhen and are illustrated in Imperial Porcelain: Recent Discoveries 見前述鴻禧美術館出版物編號 34-1）。雖然出土花盆的
of Jingdezhen Ware, op. cit., p. 67, nos. 96 and 97, respectively). The 器身看似沒有棱面或作瓣形，但卻以開光作為區隔，以此
depiction of underglaze blue floral scrolls against an overglaze iron- 呼應菱口的起伏，但效果不大理想。對比之下，本拍品的
red background on the current flower pot was clearly part of the same
technological and artistic developmnent. 畫師充份利用光滑的器表，在器身創作出如意揮灑的纏枝
菊紋。此處的菊紋造型獨特，構圖繁而不雜、層次分明，
The decorative motifs on the current flower pot differ from those on 近似紋飾可見於以下各例：北京故宮珍藏宣德青花玉壺春
the similarly-shaped excavated pot (Chang Foundation, op. cit., no. 34- 瓶，圖見《故宮博物院藏明初青花瓷（上冊）》頁 148-9
1). Although it does not appear to have a facetted or lobed body, the
sides of the excavated flower pot have been divided into panels which 編號 77（北京：2003）；北京故宮珍藏宣德大罐，圖見《故
relate to the lobing of the rim, which is not completely successful. 宮博物院藏文物珍品全集 34：青花釉裏紅》頁 111 編號
The decorator of the current flower pot, in contrast, has made use 105（香港：2000）；以及台北國立故宮珍藏宣德大罐，
of the smooth sides and has decorated the main body with a bold 圖見前述《明代宣德官窯菁華特展圖錄》頁 122-3 編號
chrysanthemum scroll. The distinctive scrolls on the lower band of the 34。本拍品近足處飾一道風格特異的如意雲紋，紋飾帶恍
current vessel suggest the form of feet, as they do on the rectangular 若足墻，樣式與御窯出土的長方花盆如出一轍（參見鴻禧
flower pot excavated at the imperial kiln site (Chang foundation, 美術館前述出版物編號 36）。此類裝飾手法，使厚重的
op. cit., no. 36). This decorative device, which makes a heavy base
appear lighter, was also employed on certain Chenghua and Zhengde 器足看來頓時輕盈不少，同樣的處理方式也見於部份成化
porcelains, which, like the flower pots, required a heavy base to lower 和正德瓷器，它們跟本花盆一樣，都要靠厚重的底足來降
their centre of gravity. 低重心。
This is an extremely rare flower pot from a Golden Age of Chinese 本拍品堪稱為中國製瓷業黃金時期的精絕之作，更代表了
porcelain and represents the experimentation and innovation that took
place at the imperial kilns under an emperor who was an exceptionally 天子不吝贊助推動下，御窯所作的大膽嘗試與推陳創新。
keen patron. It should be no surprise that the Japanese ambassador, 此器的舊主之一曾任日本駐華大使，他對此器一見傾心，
who was a previous owner of this vessel, was so fascinated by it that he 1959 年更親自寫生誌之（圖一），其鍾愛之情，於焉可
personally painted a picture of the flower pot in 1959 (fig. 1). 見一斑。

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