Page 8 - Christie's Hong Kong Wang Zing Lou Collection May 30 2022

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fig. 3 Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing
圖三 北京故宮博物院藏品

From the 1980s to early 2000, new discoveries and deeper research The early Qing ceramicists were also imaginative technical innovators,
greatly heightened enthusiasm for Chinese ceramics. During this period, with new overglaze enamel colours pioneered by the Qing ateliers in the
fascinating reports were published of newly excavated materials that were late Kangxi period and being perfected in the Yongzheng reign. This type
discovered at the imperial kilns sites in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province; and of fine, exquisite enamelling is exemplified by the Yongzheng falangcai
in addition there were significant finds from Song dynasty kiln sites, the wine cup (Lot 2710). An interesting point worthy of note was Julian
most notable was Ru wares discovered at Qingliangsi in Henan Province. Thompson’s mention in his introduction to the Wang Xing Lou Collection,
Re-constructed examples of sherds found at these kilns, and the Imperial Perfection, that there were numerous commissions of ceramics
subsequent exhibitions of these objects were toured in Hong Kong, London recorded and documented by the Qing Court. In recent years, much work
and Taiwan. These events greatly increased interest and understanding have been done in researching the copious archival material that provided
in the developments of imperial ceramics. For the first time, the history of information on commission and directions given to ceramics, and other
Chinese ceramics from the Song, Yuan, and Ming periods began to unfold works of art, made for the palace and attempts have been made to match
on the international stage with fascinating published examples of high- these references with surviving works. For example, a close description
fired monochromes, underglaze blue and white, underglaze copper-red and can be found for the falangcai winecup when it was mentioned that on 16th
overglaze enamelled wares. day of 7th month of Yongzheng (1726) twenty-four ‘first rate red-ground
falang wine cups’ were presented to the Emperor. Another reference
This first selection of twenty-eight pieces of ceramics from the Wang Xing found was for a Yongzheng underglaze-blue and copper-red double-gourd
Lou Collection offered in the present sale were all part of the exhibition vase (Lot 2713), to which palace records referred as ‘double happiness
Imperial Perfection – The Palace Porcelain of Three Emperors that took place precious pearl vase’; and five Yongzheng-marked vases of such type were
in 2003 at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and where the entire collection documented in an inventory list dating to Guangxu 30th year (1904).
remained on loan for the following two decades. Included in the present A further reference was found for a massive famille rose decorated with
selection are examples of Qing archaism as in two Qianlong period lots panels of flowers of the four seasons alternating with imperial poems
that are potted in the archaic Hu-vessel shape, the first is a pair celadon- (Lot 2726). These poems were composed when Qianlong was still a prince
glazed vases and the second is an impressively large vase painted with a and were compiled under the auspicious of the hall name, Leshantang. It is
floral design in underglaze blue (Lot 2721). During the early Qing, there possible to surmise that this impressive vase may have been commissioned
was a propensity for a revival of Ming decorative styles. The delicate over before 1752 when Qianlong tasked his superintendent, Tang Ying, at the
the glaze doucai palette first seen in Ming dynasty Xuande and Chenghua Jingdezhen kilns to apply these early poetic compositions to large vases.
reigns re-emerged in the Qing as seen in the Kangxi wine cup (Lot 2701).
The popular Chenghua ‘chicken cup’ theme was also revived but this This group of imperial ceramics finely illustrates the tradition of Chinese
time Qing potters advocated a larger-sized format in the form of a bowl ceramics through the eyes of three generations of Qing emperors. Faithful
(Lot 2711). Offered in the collection is a magnificent Qianlong Fahua-style to the best ceramics of the period, the Master of Wang Xing Lou gathered
jar and cover (Lot 2722); this bold decoration paid homage to the colourful these bright, jewel-like pieces for his collection. It is with the greatest
ceramics originally pioneered by the Ming tile making industry of the Shanxi pleasure that Christie’s is able to offer this group at auction, and may the
province. Additionally, there is a finely potted Yongzheng double gourd vase long tradition of collecting continue.
painted in the underglaze-blue and copper-red technique with lotus scrolls
(Lot 2713) that enshrines the prototype of the Yuan and early Ming period.

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