Page 229 - 2020 October 8 HK Fine Classical Paintings

Made from dark and fine-grained zitan, these armchairs have 此對扶手椅貴麗雍容，取紫檀木造，用料色澤黝潤，
an imposing and stately appearance. Their elaborately carved 紋理細膩。靠背板、聯幫棍等處雕飾葉紋，乃採西洋
design of acanthus leaves on the back splats and side posts 裝飾藝術精華，可見清代中西文化之交流際會。
unmistakably draws from European decorative arts, thus
displaying the cultural and artistic exchange between China 十八世紀，中國風受歐洲宮廷崇習，西洋風亦東漸京
and Europe in the Qing dynasty.
師帝廷。耶穌會傳教士入朝進獻西洋物產，尤其推動
While the imitation of Chinese styles, known as ‘chinoiserie’ 中西文化藝術交流，更有教士，憑西洋長技奉詔入
was popular at the courts of Europe in the 18th century, a
vogue for European objects and fine works art in a European 宮，於紫禁城內設立作坊，為歷代帝皇效力。宮中，
style, known as ‘européenerie’, emerged at the imperial court 教士與中國巧匠群策群力，所造珍品不乏清代工藝傑
in Beijing. Cultural and artistic exchange took place mainly 作。乾隆治下，洋教士最得重用，因乾隆喜好華美，
through Jesuit missionaries, who presented the court with 又愛彰顯天威，故西洋紋飾備受青睞。乾隆於圓明園
objects made in Europe. Fascinated by Western technology, 北角造歐式宮苑以仿凡爾賽特里亞農宮，修築工程對
some Jesuits were invited to live in the Forbidden City and 西洋式樣大加運用。
under the orders of successive Qing emperors they founded
specialised workshops. Here they worked alongside skilled
Chinese craftsmen and created some of the most iconic 文化藝術交流亦與廣州口岸通商息息相關。廣州乃中
works of art of the Qing dynasty. The Jesuit missionaries’ 國主要商埠，又是眾多傳教士抵華首站，廣州工匠便
involvement at court peaked during the reign of the Qianlong 率先融會西洋式樣、技法，以合中式審美。廣州作坊
Emperor, whose love for opulence and desire to display 奉旨為圓明園歐式宮苑打造家具，更有良匠獲選駐京
his imperial supremacy naturally resulted in the adoption 獻技。廣州工匠常以歐洲洛可可紋飾結合自身嫻熟之
of European decorative motifs. These designs were widely 技，此對扶手椅便是一例，中西合璧，框架結構依中
employed in the decoration of the Qianlong emperor’s 國傳統制式，搭腦作雲頭紋，與宋、明剔犀漆器一脈
magnificent European-style palaces, which were built in the 相承。
northern part of the Yuanmingyuan and were designed to
resemble the Trianon at Versailles.
同一式樣之扶手椅珍罕無多，未見載例。可尋一例，
Cultural and artistic exchange also occurred through 雕飾相類，清宮舊藏，仍貯北京，見《The 200 Objects
commercial trade in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. The city
was the main commercial port in China and the first landing You Should Know. Red Sandalwood Furniture》，北
place for many Jesuit missionaries. Guangzhou craftsmen 京，2008年，圖版42，同錄一例，帶三彎腿，圖版34；
were thus, the first to observe and absorb Western designs 另一例，靠背板作透雕，Lt. Col. Robert Gray Peck 舊
and technology, which they quickly adapted to suit Chinese 藏，售於紐約蘇富比2014年3月18/19日，編號400；再
taste. Workshops in Guangzhou were commissioned furniture 比一對，售於香港佳士得2008年12月3日，編號2503；
for the newly built European-style palaces in the Yuamingyuan, 及一例，售於iGavel拍賣行2012年。
and some craftsmen were directly invited to work in Beijing.
Guangzhou craftsmen often combined elements from
European rococo motifs with designs and construction
techniques they were acquainted with. These chairs are a
fine example of this artistic syncretism, as their frame was
borrowed from classic Chinese furniture designs, and the
cloud design on their headrests recalls the guri (in Chinese tixi)
design found on carved lacquerware of the Song (960-1279)
and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties.
Armchairs of this design are rare and no other closely related
example appears to have been published. An armchair carved
in a similar style, from the Qing Court collection and still in
Beijing, is illustrated in The 200 Objects You Should Know.
Red Sandalwood Furniture, Beijing, 2008, pl. 42, together with
one with cabriole legs, pl. 34; another with the splat carved in
openwork from the collection of Lt. Col. Robert Gray Peck, was
sold in our New York rooms, 18th/19th March 2014, lot 400; a
pair was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 3rd December 2008, lot
2503; and a further chair was sold at iGavel Auctions in 2012.

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