Page 36 - Chinese Ceramics the Linyushanren Collection Part 1 , Christie's
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A RARE CARVED AND INCISED YUE Containing precious substances and objects, Yue ware covered
‘PEONY’ BOX AND COVER boxes were highly treasured in the ancient time, and therefore
survived in relatively greater numbers. The boxes’ higher
NORTHERN SONG DYNASTY, 10TH-11TH CENTURY status is also reflected on the lavish decorations, among which
the relief carving as represented by the current piece is the
The domed box is finely carved with a peony sprig in the most sophisticated and expensive technique. A Yue ware
central medallion, with incised details, and encircled by a band box decorated with peony motif but with a ring of grooves
of waves. The box with splayed foot is incised with a band of surrounding the central roundel is in the Art Institute of
clouds around the tapering sides. They are covered overall with Chicago, included by Yutaka Mino and Katherine R. Tsiang,
a greenish-olive glaze, with the exception of the rims burnt Ice and Green Clouds: Traditions of Chinese Celadon, Indianapolis
reddish brown in the firing. Museum of Art, 1986, pp. 132-133, no. 49. Compare also a
fragment of a similar Yue ware ‘peony’ box was found at the
5 in. (12.7 cm.), diam., Japanese wood box Yue ware kilns in Shangyu Xian, illustrated in ibid, p. 132, fig.
49b.
HK$240,000-400,000 US$32,000-52,000
北宋 越窯刻牡丹紋盒 盒蓋微隆，子母口，口沿以下漸收，高圈足外撇。蓋面刻浮雕牡
丹紋，邊飾海浪紋一周，口飾卷草紋，盒壁飾線刻草葉紋。
蓋盒乃用於盛裝香料、脂粉、珠寶之屬，因其盛裝之物而倍顯珍
貴，為古人所重。在現存的越窯中，蓋盒是一大宗，蓋因古人珍
視之而得以保存至今。其較高的地位亦反映於盒面上繁複而華麗
的裝飾，如本件蓋盒所示之浮雕裝飾是越窯中最成熟和昂貴的一
種裝飾技法。芝加哥藝術學院博物館藏有一件相近的越窯牡丹紋
蓋盒，載於蓑豐，蒋人和著，印第安納波里斯美術館1986年出
版《Ice and Green Clouds: Traditions of Chinese Celadon》，
132-133頁，編號49。亦可比一件發現於上虞越窯窯址的牡丹紋
蓋盒殘片，見前揭書，132頁，圖49b。
The Classic Age of Chinese Ceramics 古韻天成 — 臨宇山人珍藏（一） 34
