Page 79 - Nov 29 2017 HK Important Chinese Ceramics

GIFT OF LONGEVITY FOR

AN IMPERIAL BIRTHDAY

This magnificent famille rose figure of Amitayus is superbly
modelled with a regal presence, and was likely to have
been made as an Imperial birthday gift during Wanshou jie
(Festival of Ten Thousand Longevities), in celebration of
the Qianlong Emperor’s birthday or that of his mother the
Empress Dowager.

According to Comprehensive Records of Zaobanchu Workshops (hereafter failed to meet this request and returned the wood prototype to the
Comprehensive Records), in Qianlong thirty-fifth year (1770), a memorial Court, much to Qianlong’s annoyance. Tang Ying’s risky defiance
was sent to the Emperor by the Superintendent at Jingdezhen, of Court orders illuminates the enormous difficulty required to fire
Yilinga, reporting that nine large-sized porcelain figures of Amitayus porcelain figures. It was not until the next year (1748) when Tang Ying
were respectfully made for the occasion of Festival of Ten Thousand finally succeeded in producing a set of Guanyin and attendants for the
Longevities (Qianlong’s sixtieth birthday), each of them bearing a court. However, the Qianlong Emperor was clearly not pleased with
‘Qianlong gengyin nian’ mark. In the following year (1771), Yilinga sent the work, and issued a criticism: ‘The white-robed Guanyin by Tang
as tribute one thousand figures of porcelain Amitayus for the birthday Ying should not be made with separate hands and headdress. An integral
of the Empress Dowager. These one thousand figures, each gilt-painted, one is preferred. Is this conceivable?’. Tang Ying replied: ‘Without
measuring 16.1 cm. high and bearing a ‘Da Qing xinmou nian zao’ mark, separately potted hands and headdress, there will be no venting hole and
are today displayed within the Cining Hall in the Forbidden City. its making will not be possible.’ While Tang Ying failed to meet the
Additionally, it is recorded that in Qianlong fourtieth year (1775), the Emperor’s expectation at that time, it is obvious that his fellow potters
supervisory of Jiujiang (under which the governorship of Jingdezhen had eventually found the solution to this shortfall, since later figures
fell) again sent nine porcelain figures of Amitayus to the court as tribute, such as the present lot is integrally potted, with the base hollowed and
which were then placed within the temple hall in the palace for worship. thus allowing air ventilation. This represents a big improvement in the
These events reveal to us that porcelain figures of Amitayus were made modelling of porcelain figures at the Imperial kilns, with the Qianlong
at the Imperial kilns as gifts for Imperial birthdays, and the current Emperor’s expectation being the predominant driving force.
figure, with its remarkable size and workmanship, clearly belongs to this
exclusive group. This improvement might be attributed to Laoge, Tang Ying’s
most trusted deputy, who served as the Assistant Supervisor at
Amitayus is known as the ‘Buddha of Infinite Life’ and the ‘One who the Imperial kilns for twenty-eight years from 1741 to 1769.
grants long life’. As the deity is associated with longevity, imageries After Tang Ying’s decease in 1756, he continued to serve seven
of Amitayus found much favour with the Emperor Qianlong, and succeeding Superintendents, marking him the longest-serving
are often depicted in groups of nine, since ‘nine’ is a homophone for Assistant Supervisor in Qing ceramic history. Undoubtedly,
‘eternity’. Refer for example to an 18th century thangka depicting a he would have been involved with Tang Ying’s experimentation with
large Amitayus in the centre, surrounded by eight smaller counterparts, modelling Guanyin figures when the Qianlong Emperor first made the
in the Qing Court Collection; and a set of nine gilt-bronze figures of request in 1747; and after Tang Ying’s death, would have continued
Amitayus on a lotus stand, formerly placed within the Cining Hall in the to remedy the flaws so disdained by the Emperor. Tang Ying, in his
Forbidden City, and now in the collection of Luoyang Museum. In all memorials to the Emperor, repeatly gave praise to Laoge’s diligence,
these examples, the primary deity is always depicted larger than the rest. discipline and knowledge. He is likely to be the key force behind the
Incidentally, there are extant examples of famille rose Amitayus figures eventual success of firing integral Buddhist figures such as the present
which are of almost identical design to the present lot, but of significantly lot. It is also interesting to note that Laoge, before his appointment as
small sizes. Hence it is extremely likely that the current figure, which Assistant Supervisor at Jingdezhen, served at the Imperial Household
is the largest known of its type, originally belonged to a group of nine department in Beijing from 1733 to 1738 and was involved with the
made for the palace, and was designated to be the primary figure.
compilation of the Qianlong Tripitaka, which provided him experience in
Examples of these smaller famille rose Amitayus figures include one (29 creating Buddhist images which befitted Court use.
cm. high) illustrated in Qingdai ciqi shangjian, Shanghai, 1999, pl. 232 (fig. The image of the current figure is closely aligned with benchmarks set
1); one (28.8 cm. high) sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 3 October 2017, by the Qing Court. In Qianlong seventh year, Gongbuchabu embarked
lot 3714; and one (29 cm. high) sold at Sotheby’s New York, 23 March upon the translation of the Sutra on Making Images of Buddha from
2011, lot 729. There are also figures of this type enamelled in gilt and Tibetan into Chinese. The finished work, which lays out guidelines in
famille rose, such as the one (30 cm. high) sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, making Buddhist images, was later published by Prince Zhuang, Yinlu in
28 May 2014, lot 3465 (fig. 2). However, no other example of the same 1748. One of the illustrations within depicts an image of Amitayus (fig. 3),
size as the present lot appears to be known, making it exceptionally rare.
which bears striking resemblance to the current figure. Another similar
Interestingly, the Qianlong Emperor appears to have taken a personal illustration of Amitayus is included in Eulogies to the Sacred Images of
interest in the making of porcelain Buddhist figures for the Imperial Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, which is a compendium of Buddhist drawings
court. According to Comprehensive Records, in Qianlong twelfth year for court use, compiled by the State Preceptor Janggya in Qianlong
(1747), the Emperor ordered Tang Ying, the famed superintendent at fourteenth year (1749) (fig. 4). These Imperially commissioned drawings
Jingdezhen, to fire a group of white-glazed Guanyin and attendants served as the blueprint for Buddhist figures of all materials made for the
based on a wood prototype. Tang Ying, despite his renowned virtuosity, Court, including the current porcelain example.

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