Page 56 - Christie's Fine Cinese Classical Paintings, May 31 to June 1, 2023 Hong Kong

Elegant Pursuit – A Brief Account 風雅呼應：
on Painting and Calligraphy by 略論帝王與臣工書畫

Emperors and Ministers

Gathering for poem, painting and calligraphy creation has long been an elegant 書畫詩賦雅集，一直是古代帝王與士人熱衷的文
pursuit of emperors and scholars in ancient times. After finishing the court duties, 藝活動。雅集之外，帝王后宮萬機之暇，往往興
the emperors sometimes wielded their brush to paint and practice calligraphy, and the 至偶書“御筆”，或裝置宮鑾或賞賜大臣；而臣
works would either adorn the palaces or be awarded to the ministers. On the other 工亦有應製奉和之筆墨以娛上心，形成上呼下應
hand, the ministers created the same to please the emperors. 的風雅互動。

In early Qing the Emperor Qianlong was passionate about collecting paintings and
calligraphy of different periods. He ordered to compile Shiqu Baoji (Catalogue of the 清初承平日久，乾隆以帝王之尊，雅愛書畫弆
Paintings and Calligraphy in the Imperial Collection) which consisted of two parts. The 藏，博採廣收上下古今，彙成《石渠寶笈》前後
Emperor Jiaqing followed suit and completed the third part of Shiqu Baoji, which 編，延至嘉慶皇帝又有《石渠寶笈》三編之成，
finalized the full record of the impressive Qing Imperial Collection. 紹述祖宗文治藝業，尤見內府庋藏之盛。

This Spring we are very pleased to offer several rare works with imperial background: 是次春拍有來自日本、香港藏家提供的古代書
Wagtail and Peach Blossoms attributed to Emperor Huizong (Lot 840), Calligraphic 畫，當中均有與宮廷相關作品。如傳宋徽宗
Couplet by Emperor Kangxi (Lot 855), Calligraphy – Shou by Empress Dowage Cixi 《鶺鴒桃花》、康熙《御筆書聯》、慈禧《御筆
(Lot 854), Landscape by Mian Kai and Dai Quheng (Lot 851) and Running Script 壽》、綿愷、戴衢亨《韶齡集慶》、綿億《臨黃
Calligraphy by Mian Yi (Lot 853). Bai Juyi’s Song of Long Regretfulness in Running Script 庭堅松風閣》，為帝王后裔墨跡，流傳稀罕。至
of Dong Qichang (Lot 841) was recorded in Shiqu Baoji Sanbian (Catalogue of the
Paintings and Calligraphy in the Imperial Collection Part III). Furthermore, Liu Yong’s 於董其昌行書《長恨歌》，乃皇家《石渠寶笈》
Poems on Lotus in Running Script (Lot 845), Liu Quanzhi’s Standard Script Calligraphy 三編著錄，尤見精緻。而劉墉楷書《御製荷花
(Lot 852) and Luo Fumin’s Tribes in the South (Lot 850) were executed by decree. 詩》、劉權之楷書《御製君子體仁足以長人論》、
These works of emperors, empress, princes and ministers complemented each other 羅福旻《百苗圖》，皆應和奉旨之作，既見帝王詩
and exemplified their artistic and literary talents and techniques. 文之才，又見臣工筆法，相得益彰，彌足珍貴。

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