Page 10 - Christie's Hong Kong Imperial Amphora May 31, 2017

fig. 1 fig. 2
圖一 圖二

ELEGANCE, REFINEMENT AND ARCHAISM

An extremely rare Yongzheng celadon-glazed amphora

Rosemary Scott, International Academic Director Asian Art

fig. 1 This extremely rare vase is a superb combination of an black pottery amphorae, such as the example sold by Christie’s
Christie’s New York, archaistic form from the Tang dynasty, a glaze inspired by the New York 18 September 2003, lot 191 (fig. 2).However, the
26 March 2003, lot 176 Song dynasty, and the technical and artistic genius found at the inspiration for the form of the current amphora probably
imperial kilns in the Yongzheng reign. It is also a particularly entered China from the west. The term amphora refers to
fig. 2 fascinating example of the way that the emperor’s personal vessels with two carrying handles, one on either side. Although
Christie’s New York, interests influenced the objects made for his court. The the name amphora comes from Latin, that in turn comes
18 September 2003, lot 191 Yongzheng Emperor, like his father the Kangxi Emperor and from a Greek word amphoreus, short for amphiphoreus, formed
his son the Qianlong Emperor, was a great admirer of antiques, by a combination of a term meaning ‘on both sides’ and one
fig. 3 and all three of these great Qing emperors commissioned items meaning ‘to carry’ – a reference to the handles on either side of
Collection of the Palace for their courts made in antique styles. These archaistic pieces the containers. Such vessels were used throughout the Graeco-
were made in many media, but those in bronze and ceramic Roman world to store or contain, oil, wine, water, fruit and
Museum, Beijing were perhaps the most artistically successful. Those made in grain. Some had pointed bases and some had a disk-shaped
ceramic were particularly varied - some adapting archaic foot.The Greeks gave beautifully decorated examples as prizes
fig. 4 decoration, some adopting antique forms, and others combining to the victors at Panathenaic games, while simple examples
Collection of the elements of the two.The current Yongzheng vase has faithfully were very popular practical vessels.
Dingzhou City Museum copied the form of an amphora from the Tang dynasty (AD
618-907), while its glaze is a refined version of a Longquan In Tang dynasty China amphorae were made with strong
celadon glaze from the Southern Song dynasty (AD 1127- profiles - wide shoulders tapering to a relatively narrow foot and
1278). It is a perfect example of the古雅 guya ‘antique elegance’ flat base. The necks were narrow and quite long – frequently
for which such porcelains of the Yongzheng reign were famed. with rings around them reminiscent of the joints on bamboo,
Amphorae with short necks, small handles at the widest part while the mouths were dished and the handles terminated in
of the body, and pointed bases were made early in China’s the form of dragons’ heads, apparently biting the mouth of the
ceramic history atYangshao Neolithic sites such as Banpo (5th- vessel on either side. Most vessels have two handles, but rare
4th millennium BC) - as illustrated in The Genius of China, examples, such as the one in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford,
London, 1973, p. 49, no. 19. An amphora of this Banpo type had three.The Tang vessels were made either with monochrome
was sold by Christie’s NewYork 26 March 2003, lot 176 (fig. 1). glazes, most frequently white, but sometimes green or amber,
Versions of the amphora form were also made in the Zhou and or were decorated in the sancai glaze palette. An example of the
Han dynasties – including the Han Lifan Sichuan burnished latter type from the collection of the Tokyo National Museum
is illustrated in Special Exhibition - Chinese Ceramics,Tokyo, 1994,

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