Page 118 - 2020 October 8 HK Fine Classical Paintings

52

A MOTTLED GREEN JADE CONG 新石器時代良渚文化 玉琮
NEOLITHIC PERIOD, LIANGZHU CULTURE
來源：
of cylindrical form with square projections on four corners, the
sides slightly tapering towards the base, each corner carved 藍理捷，紐約，1994年4月4日
with five registers of stylised mask comprising twin bands of
narrow parallel grooves above incised circular ‘eyes’ and a 展覽：
short raised band with rounded ends for the ‘nose’, the dark 《Archaic Chinese Bronzes, Jades and Works of Art》，藍
green jade mottled and streaked with cloudy off-white and 理捷，紐約，1994年，編號19
black inclusions 《Ancient Chinese Jade》，藍理捷，紐約，2018年，編
15.9 cm, 6¼ in.
號24
PROVENANCE
J.J. Lally & Co., New York, 4th April 1994.

EXHIBITED
Archaic Chinese Bronzes, Jades and Works of Art, J.J. Lally &
Co., New York, 1994, cat. no. 19.
Ancient Chinese Jade, J.J. Lally & Co., New York, 2018, cat. no.
24.

HK$ 2,000,000-3,000,000
US$ 258,000-387,000

The Liangzhu culture in the Yangtze River Delta, which 長江下游環太湖流域良渚文明，公元前約三千多年至
flourished from the late 4th to the end of the 3rd millennium 二千年盛極一時，為後世留下不少文化遺產，誠乃最
BC, was one of the most prominent Neolithic Chinese 重要的中國新石器時代文化之一。綜觀良渚古物，當
civilizations. Among the large variety of Liangzhu artefacts,
cong – tubular jades with a central perforation drilled from 中又尤以玉琮最具代表性，多呈外方內圓之狀，僅許
both ends – stand out as iconic of this culture. They were 貴族使用。玉琮原來的象徵與用途，相信早已隨良
made for the most prestigious ranks in the society. Although 渚文化的衰落而殞滅，但往後數千年，多少藏家、學
the original meanings of cong were lost following the decline 者、藝匠慕其式、研其義、續其製。良渚雖歿，玉琮
of the Liangzhu culture, their form continued to fascinate 存世，在中國藝術歷史舞台上穩佔要席，源遠流長。
generations of collectors, connoisseurs, scholars and artisans
for centuries. The importance of cong in the history of Chinese
art therefore cannot be overstated. 玉琮雛型，採手觸之式，呈圓形，對鑽成孔，飾單
層獸面紋，巨目圓睜，尖牙咧嘴。玉琮外廓後漸趨
The earliest cong have the form of a circular bangle with a
single tier of zoomorphic masks. The rectangular form soon 正方，圖案也更為繁複，羽冠神人，下有獸面，圓目
took over and the motif became more complex, often featuring 微凸，口鼻滿綴卷曲細紋。觀神人獸面交替為飾之玉
a crowned human figure, perhaps a shaman, on top of an 琮，可悉此器上所飾應屬神人之臉，額上橫紋或象徵
animal mask with protruding goggled eyes. Examples with 其羽冠。到了良渚文化晚期，出現較多如此品的多層
alternating registers of stylised human faces and animal masks 玉琮，圖案的陰刻較少，面紋更趨簡約。
suggest that the motif seen on the present cong represents the
face of the shaman and the striated bands probably symbolise
the headdress. Towards the dusk of the Liangzhu civilization, 飾簡化面紋的多層式玉琮，公私收藏中均有類例，如
these elaborate, fine engravings slowly disappeared and 華盛頓弗利爾美術館藏兩件五層玉琮，編號F1917.63及
simpler designs appeared, while at the same time taller cong F1917.368，與台北故宮清宮舊藏六層玉琮，編號古玉
with multiple rows of faces, such as the present piece, were 2038。養德堂舊藏四層玉琮，2018年11月28日在香港佳
made. The multi-tiered structure and the abstract design of 士得拍出，編號2702。另見三層玉琮，為藍田山房及
the present example points to the late Liangzhu period.
張偉華遞藏，2019年11月27日在香港佳士得易手，編號
Comparable multi-tiered cong are preserved in major
museums and private collections. Two five-tier examples are in 2720。
the collection of the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., nos
F1917.63 and F1917.368. A four-tier cong from the Yangdetang
collection was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28th November
2018, lot 2702; and a three-tier one from the Lantien Shanfang
and Chang Wei-Hwa collections was sold at Christie’s Hong
Kong, 27th November 2019, lot 2720.

116 FOR COMPLETE CATALOGUING 詳盡圖錄內容請瀏覽 SOTHEBYS.COM/HK0975