Page 42 - Sotheby's Asia Week March 2024 Chinee Art

EMULATING ANTIQUITY:

A YONGZHENG RU-TYPE
‘THREE RAMS’ VASE

宗古：清雍正仿汝釉三犧尊

In their search for perfection in porcelain created at the Imperial 大清雍正、乾隆皇帝對景德鎮御窰珍器要求極高，
kilns of Jingdezhen for use in the palace, the Yongzheng and 力求完美，仿效高古器之品尤得青睞。本尊器形甚爲
Qianlong emperors held those with archaistic forms in the 鮮見，即使在瓷器生產數量繁多之乾隆朝亦不常有，
highest regard. The form of this superbly articulated vase is 帶雍正款者則更罕。本尊三羊造型寫實，風格自由，
not commonly found even amongst the more prolific Qianlong 冰裂紋優精緻，與乾隆作例相比，本瓶更接近高古雛
reign, but examples with Yongzheng reign marks like the
present example are extremely rare. In the freedom of the 本及宋代作例。釉面仿效北宋汝窰，雍正年間，
design and naturalistic treatment of the rams and the delicacy 仿汝釉瓷成就達到頂峰。此尊於日本珍藏數十載，
of the elegant, crackled texture of the glaze, the present vase 展示雍正御窰單色珍瓷之精粹神采，如今現身拍場，
remains much closer to its archaic and Song counterparts than 令人振奮。
Qianlong examples. The use of the Ru-type glaze emulates the
status of the Northern Song kiln, which was already at its zenith 雍正皇帝從登位元年開始即旨令宮廷御窰燒製瓷器，
in the Yongzheng period. Treasured and carefully preserved in 成品因應皇帝品味而變化，簡約器型與紋飾均屬景德
Japan for decades, the present vase is a superb discovery that 鎮御窰督陶官唐英風格，在其監督之下，御窰研製復
encapsulates the spirit and high standards of monochromes 興仿宋瓷器如汝、官、哥窰等單色瓷器大有所成，
created for the Yongzheng court. 成色柔和亮澤，施於當代器型，創新獨特。
From the first year of his reign, the Yongzheng Emperor
commissioned items from the Palace Workshops, whose
output changed in nature as a result. Simplicity of form and
absence of decoration were stylistic trends introduced by Tang
Ying, Superintendent of the Imperial kilns in Jingdezhen. Under
his supervision, research into celebrated Song glazes including
Ru, Guan and Ge wares saw the re-emergence of monochrome
porcelain covered in luminous pale glazes to simulate the
earlier wares on contemporary and unique forms.

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