Page 29 - Sotheby's Asia Week March 2024 Chinee Art

Powerfully painted with ferocious dragons leaping proudly been used for these purposes. Outstanding examples
amongst billowing clouds, the present box is remarkable for bearing the seal Maoqindian jianding zhang (‘Seal of
its formidable decoration and its inscription to the cover, Connoisseurship at the Hall of Great Diligence’) include
ascribing the present lot to the prominent imperial hall, Timely Clearing After Snowfall by Wang Xizhi (303-361),
Maoqindian (Hall of Great Diligence). Maoqindian, built in now in the collection of the National Palace Museum,
the 14th year of the Jiajing period (corresponding to 1535), Taipei (accession no. 故書000141), and the Southern Song
is located to the west of Qianqinggong (Palace of Heavenly rubbing of the Model Calligraphy of the Chunhua Archive,
Purity) in the Forbidden City. A historically important place preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing (accession no. 故
in the Palace, the hall served as a place for emperors to 00004678-1/10 ).
review memorials, study and enjoy academic discussions Fig. 1 An imperial gilt-decorated iron-red and underglaze-blue ‘dragon’ seal paste box and cover,
with his closest entourage. Continuing the traditions of the The three-clawed dragons on the cover, as well as the Seal mark and period of Jiaqing © The Palace Museum, Beijing
Ming dynasty, the Qing emperors also continued to utilize difference in the portrayal of the two dragons suggests 圖1 清嘉慶 青花礬紅彩描金雙龍紋印盒 《大清嘉慶年製》《懋勤殿》款 © 故宮博物院，北京
the room for official purposes: it is recorded that the Kangxi that this piece was perhaps produced during the first four
Emperor used the hall as his own study during his reign. years of the Jiaqing period when his father, the Qianlong
Officials were also assigned to work at the hall on important Emperor, reigned as the Emperor Emeritus. Depictions of
projects; the third sections of the Shiqu baoji [Shiqu an impressive and powerful dragon in the company of a 本盒龍紋雄健威武，騰遊祥雲之上，氣宇萬千，畫工 盒蓋上飾兩條三爪龍，兩龍刻劃各異，表明此盒或
Collection of Paintings and Calligraphy] and Midian zhulin younger dragon, usually facing each other, are understood
[Pearls in the Private Halls], for instance, were completed to represent the proverb ‘canglong jiaozi’ which translates 精湛。盒蓋題「懋勤殿」款，懋勤殿建於明代嘉靖十 製於嘉慶即位首四年、乾隆皇帝以太上皇名義掌朝
within Maoqindian during the Jiaqing period. The hall was to ‘the old dragon teaches his son’ - a fitting metaphor 四年，位處紫禁城乾清宮西側，歷史意義顯著，曾為 期間。紋飾刻劃兩龍，一龍健碩雄健，另一龍較年
also designated to house classics, historical records as well for the relationship between the Jiaqing Emperor and the 皇帝審閱奏章、學習及與近臣議事之所。清朝皇帝延 幼，乃「蒼龍教子」紋飾，相信乃乾隆與嘉慶父子
as imperial works of art pertaining to the desk, such as seals, Emperor Emeritus. 續明代傳統，沿用此殿辦理政務，據載，康熙皇帝在 之比喻。
brushes, and seal paste boxes like the present. The present box and cover is very rare and only a few 位期間曾以懋勤殿作書房。此殿亦為處理其他重要事 此類印盒極爲罕見，已知僅寥寥數例：一例為清宮舊
comparable examples are known. A box and cover from 務之處，如《石渠寶笈》第三編及《秘殿珠林》等，
From records, it appears that a large portion of imperial the Qing Court Collection, still preserved with residual red 藏，盒中尚餘印泥，現存北京故宮博物院，圖載
seals were kept in Maoqindian. Shen Chu, a court official 均於嘉慶年間在懋勤殿完成。殿內貯典籍、歷史檔案 《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集．文房四寶》，2009
during the Qianlong period, recorded in the fourth chapter seal paste, now in the collection of Palace Museum, Beijing, 及御藏文房珍品如印章、毛筆、印盒等。 年， 圖版288 (圖1)；一例曾展於 「Animal in Chinese
of Xiqing biji [Notes of Xiqing] that ‘all bronze, jade and is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the 據載，懋勤殿收藏璽印數量頗大，乾隆朝大臣沈初 Art」 ，東方陶瓷學會，倫敦，1968年，編號97，兩
stone imperial seals are kept in Maoqindian. Whenever Palace Museum, Scholar’s Objects, Hong Kong, 2009, pl. 288
calligraphy and paintings with imperial handwriting were (fig. 1); one exhibited in Animal in Chinese Art, Oriental Ceramic 《西清筆記》卷四載：「御用銅玉凍石印章皆貯懋勤 度售於紐約蘇富比，先後為1974年12月3日，編號480
done, the relevant ministers would choose the appropriate Society, London, 1968, cat. no. 97, was sold twice in these 殿。有寶藪一冊，每遇御筆書畫發下用寶，諸臣擇印 及1976年10月23日，編號322；再比兩例，售於香港
seals and stamp them on the works.’ According to rooms, 3rd December 1974, lot 480 and 23rd October 1976, 章字句合用者位置左右以令工人。」 據《國朝宮史 蘇富比，先後為1977年12月13日，編號539及1982年11
Guochao gongshi xubian [Court History, Second Series], lot 322; two others were sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 13th 續編》嘉慶璽印目錄載，懋勤殿藏璽印九百餘枚，進 月8日，編號163，尚有一例，售於1987年1月13日香
‘the Catalogue of the Jiaqing imperial seals records more December 1977, lot 539 and 8th November 1982, lot 163 一步印證此殿乃保管璽印之重要地點。 港佳士得，編號519。另比一例，胡惠春舊藏，1985
than nine hundred seals preserved in Maoqindian’, further respectively, and another at Christie’s Hong Kong, 13th January 年6月4日售於紐約蘇富比，編號77，後入藝德堂收
attesting to the importance of the hall in the preservation 1987, lot 519. Another box, formerly in the collection of J.M. 據宮廷檔案記載，清代書畫經鑒定後，均送懋勤殿印 藏，並於2021年5月28日易手於香港佳士得，編號
and safekeeping of imperial seals. Hu, was sold in these rooms, 4th June 1985, lot 77, later 鑒。如本品之大型印盒，相信亦作此用途，蓋「懋
entering the Yidetang Collection and sold again at Christie’s 勤殿鑒定章」之著名書畫可參考數例，一為王羲之 2947；最後一例出自美國前總統約翰•昆西•亞當斯
According to court records, during the Qing dynasty, Hong Kong, 28th May 2021, lot 2947; and lastly, one formerly (303-361年) 《快雪時晴貼》，現藏台北故宮博物院 後裔艾比蓋爾•亞當斯， 2006 年 3 月 29 日售於紐約
calligraphy and paintings after authentication would in the collection of Abigail Adams, a descendant of the former 佳士得，編號 445。
be sent to Maoqindian for seal impressions. Large seal American President John Quincy Adams, was sold at Christie’s (藏品編號： 故書000141)，另一例《宋拓淳化閣帖》
paste boxes like the present would have most likely have New York, 29th March 2006, lot 445. 藏於北京故宮博物院 (藏品編號： 故00004678-1/10)。

54 SOTHEBY’S COMPLETE CATALOGUING AVAILABLE AT SOTHEBYS.COM/N11410 PROPERTY SOLD TO BENEFIT THE NEWARK MUSEUM ACQUISITION ENDOWMENT 55