Page 76 - Bonhams Chinese Works of Art December 2015 Hong Kong
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A FINE SPINACH-GREEN JADE ARCHAISTIC ‘FIVE-CHILONG’
RHYTON CUP, GONG
Qianlong
Intricately worked in the form of a hollowed horn terminating in an
upturned taotie mask supported on its horns, the exterior further
carved in relief with five chi dragons, clambering up onto the rim in
competition, all above incised cloud scrolls between upper and lower
bands of key-fret scrolls, the stone of a rich spinach-green tone with
semi-translucent areas of pale green and russet inclusions,
wood stand.
14.4cm (5 5/8in) high (2).
HK$300,000 - 400,000
US$39,000 - 52,000
清乾隆 碧玉雕螭龍觥
The ‘five chilong’ rhyton cup is inspired in its form by Han dynasty jade
cups, such as the one from the National Palace Museum, illustrated by
Chang Li-tuan, The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of
Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch’ing Court, Taipei, 1997, p.126.
This is consistent with the Qianlong emperor’s wish to ‘restore ancient
ways’, suggesting that jade carvers turn to antiquity for models, which
would enable them to imbue their designs with simplicity and honesty,
and so achieve refinement and elegance. The ‘ancient ways’ referred
to the intrinsic values of sincerity, simplicity, and happy exuberance.
Compare a related imperially-inscribed jade spinach-green jade rhyton
cup, Qianlong, from the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated by
Chang Li-tuan, ibid., pl.34 and see also p.49. See also another related
but larger spinach green jade rhyton cup, Qing dynasty, from the Qing
Court collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of
the Palace Museum: Jadeware (II), Shanghai, 2008, pl.121.
此螭龍紋觥杯以漢代玉杯為雛形，符合乾隆帝濃厚的慕古之情。乾隆
認為古典器物樸素、精純、高雅、有意涵，為此，曾下喻命內廷畫師
為宮中所藏高古器繪製《西清古鑑》，從而為玉匠提供靈感以雕刻出
莊重典雅之器。台北故宮博物院藏一漢代例子可資參考，見張麗端，
《宮廷之雅：清代仿古及畫意玉器特展圖錄》，台北，1997年，頁
126。
台北故宮博物院藏一件清乾隆刻有御題詩的碧玉龍紋觥可做對比，見張
麗端，同上，圖版34，也詳閱頁49；另見一件清宮舊藏清代碧玉龍首
觥，形制較本器大，著錄於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品大系：玉器(II)》，
上海，2008年，圖版121。
74 | BONHAMS
