Page 38 - Christie's Hong Kong Wang Zing Lou Collection May 30 2022

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The present bowl belongs to a very small group of ‘chicken’ bowls from 成化鬥彩雞缸盃，為明官窯瓷器之名品，清康熙、雍正、乾隆三朝皆
the Yongzheng period which was inspired by the famous Ming dynasty 以仿燒為能，然以雍正所製，最為上品。本盌青花質細且薄，通體釉
doucai ‘chicken’ cups from the Chenghua period (1465-1487). Due to 色瑩澈婉潤，粉淡細膩，當為精品。
the nature of the bowl’s size, the variety of plants has increased on the
Yongzheng examples. Thus, plantain, papyrus, and asters have been
added in addition to the peonies to create a harmonious design. The 雍正帝於雞缸盃寶愛有加，據《清檔》記載，雍正十年「正月二十一
other significant difference between the Chenghua doucai ‘chicken’ cups 日，司庫常保、首領薩木哈持來雞缸杯十件。說太監滄州傳旨：著照
and the Yongzheng doucai cups and bowls is the use of a glossy black 寶貝格內盛雞缸杯合牌匣樣式做匣一件，不必安牌子，另糊別樣錦
enamel for the roosters’ tails. On the Chenghua vessels the tails are 匣，內配一紫檀木架。欽此。於七月十九日，將雞缸杯十件配得綠西
painted in underglaze cobalt blue and overglaze khaki-brown enamel. 番花面合牌匣一件、紫檀木架一件，司庫常保、首領李久明、薩木哈
The Yongzheng tails are also fuller and more naturalistically painted than 持去交太監滄州呈進，訖。」
their Ming dynasty counterparts.
雍正朝見雞缸盃及雞缸盌兩品種，前者高度參照成化原器，後者尺寸
The combination of roosters and peonies is a particularly popular 面積略變大，紋飾設計方面則更創新流，而本器屬後者。細觀成化鬥
theme on Chinese ceramics because they form the auspicious rebus for
‘a successful official with riches and honours’. The term for rooster 彩雞缸盃，不難察見一種釉色從缺，乃明代所欠奉的黑釉。驟看成化
in Chinese gongji, while the word for crowing is ming. Together they form 盃，雞尾仿若呈黑，實以鐵煶煉淡褐彩覆蓋釉下青花。成窯欲製潤澤
the term gongming, which sounds like the phrase meaning ‘successful 而牢固的黑釉，遍尋良法而不獲，惟至清代始見突破。康熙窯率用黑
official’. The peony is often known as the flower of riches and honours, 釉繪畫雞尾，然而色啞無光，甚易剝落，還得罩施粉青或紫釉加以鞏
fuguihua. Thus, roosters with peonies suggest gongming fugui, which 固。及雍正時期，真正的黑釉終於錘煉而生。新釉為瓷器紋飾滲入書
can be translated as the wish for successful office with riches and 畫效果，無論書法題字，抑或繪畫竹石、雄雞尾巴，皆相得益彰。盛
honours. ‘Chicken’ cups were also described as ‘wedding cups’ by 極一時的黑釉，為工匠開闢造瓷新徑，本器為此對雞尾稍作改良，令
the 17th century writer Gu Yingtai (1620-1690) in his Bowu yao lan 羽毛型態倍見自然流麗，雞群躍躍欲動，粙色燁然。畫師更把一隻雄
(The General Survey of Art Objects). The subject on the present bowl, 雞尾巴繪成扇狀，盡顯秘釉神髓。
showing a family group of rooster and hen with many offspring, would
have been entirely suitable for this purpose and have been appropriate
for use or as gifts on a wedding. 類似的雍正雞缸盌，可比較鴻禧美術館藏一件，著錄於《中國歷
代陶瓷選集》，台北，1990年，圖版139號。倫敦佳士得曾拍賣
A similar bowl is in the collection of the Umezawa Kinenkan Museum, 一對，2009年5月12日，拍品166號。
illustrated by Taru Nakano in Tenkai shashin ni yoru Chugoku no monyo
(The Panoramic Views of Chinese Patterns), Tokyo, 1985, pl. 75.
A closely related example in the Chang Foundation, Taipei, is illustrated
in Selected Chinese Ceramics from Han to Qing Dynasties, Taipei, 1990,
pl. 139. The present bowl can also be compared to another pair of
virtually identical bowls from the Yongzheng period, sold at Christie’s
London 12 May 2009, lot 166.

(base 底部) (another view 另一面 )

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