Page 33 - Christie's Chinese Works of Art March 24 and 25th, 2022 NYC

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- a one-story architectural structure (in open-faced, elevation view) with J.J. Lally & Co., New York, in 2006, and the two others were exhibited and
figures and vessels inside, and with figures in long robes, perhaps women, published by Gisèle Croës, one in 2002 and the other in 2006. 7
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working outside, said to be at looms weaving silk
Though without paste in their sunken background areas, two fanghu vessels
Though the exact subjects of the stories remain unknown, the scenes of slightly different form feature narrative scenes akin to those on this small
clearly distinguish the various activities in which the individuals are group represented by the present vessel: a fanghu in the National Palace
engaged—fighting in battle, dancing, preparing food and drink, raising cups Museum, Taipei, (Fig. 2) and a covered fanghu on a tall pedestal stand in the
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in salutation, and more—just as they differentiate the individuals themselves Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (B60 B773.a-.b).
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through varied stances and modes of dress. In addition, the scenes present
the figures in settings, whether in chariots, on a battlefield, on a boat, in This superb fanghu vessel stands as a remarkable testament to the artistic
a mulberry grove, or in buildings of post-and-lintel construction (and with and technical creativity of the foundrymen of the Warring States period.
differing numbers of stories). The scenes also offer a wealth of pictorial Moreover, its successful translation of paintings of the day into bronze
details, from spears and ge halberds to chariots and boats, from tigers, decoration not only conveys a wealth of information about life in the Warring
hares, deer, and birds to vessels for storing, preparing, and serving food and States period but gives insight into the challenges painters of the period
beverage; they also offer glimpses of such ancient, if now forgotten, practices were addressing. With a record of publication and with scientific analyses
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as bleeding tigers. Moreover, with birds in flight, animals fleeing the hunters, that document its authenticity and demonstrate its great age, this rare
oarsmen rowing the boat, horses pulling chariots, women dancing, and fanghu rightfully takes its place among the important and very innovative
musicians beating drums and striking bells, the scenes project a sense of bronzes of the Warring States period.
movement unseen in the decoration on bronzes of earlier periods.
Robert D. Mowry
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As Gisèle Croës has noted, the scene set in a palace hall that shows two Alan J. Dworsky Curator of Chinese Art Emeritus,
male figures holding or exchanging a circular object perhaps represents the Harvard Art Museums, and
famous historical anecdote of “Returning the Jade Bi to Zhao”, which dates to Senior Consultant, Christie’s
the Warring States period. If so, the circular object that the two male figures
hold or exchange would be the Heshibi, or Mr. He’s bi disc, a famous jade disc
named after one Bian He, who, tradition asserts, found a small boulder of
fine white jade in the eighth century BC and shaped it into a perfect bi disc. 1 For an image of the Rietberg fanghu, see: https://rietberg.ch/en/collection/online-
collection
By the Warring States period, the celebrated Heshibi had become an object
2 For information on the bleeding of animals in ancient China, see: Liu Dunyuan,
of contention amongst the various kingdoms of the day. Stolen from the Chu “Xuzhou Han huaxiangshi ‘ji ma’ tu” [‘Horse Beating’ in the Han Engraved Pictorial
state in the fourth century BC, it fell into the possession of the king of Zhao. Stones from Xuzhou], Wenwu Tiandi, vol. 4, 1992, pp. 10-11.
3 Gisèle Croës, ed., Treasures of Ancient China / Splendor of Yongle Painting,
Coveting the disc and desirous of owing it, the king of Qin offered the king of
Portraits of Nine Luohan, Brussels March 6–8, 2002 – New York March 18–30, 2002
Zhao fifteen of his cities in exchange for the bi disc. Fearful of offending the (Brussels: Gisèle Croës), 2002, p. 34.
powerful Qin king, King Huiwen of Zhao (310–266 BC; r. 298–266 BC) sent 4 The story of “Returning the Jade Bi to Zhao” is recounted in chapter 81 of Shiji,
his clever Minister Lin Xiangru to Qin with the jade but pleaded with him to often translated as Records of the Grand Historian of China, which was written
by Sima Qian (c. 145 or 135–c. 86 BC). See: William H. Nienhauser Jr., ed., Ssu-
find a way to bring it safely back to Zhao, if, on speaking with him, he found
ma Ch’ien: The Grand Scribe’s Records, vol. VII The Memoirs of Pre-Han China
the notoriously untrustworthy king of Qin unlikely to keep his promise of (Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press), 1994, pp. 263-273.
fifteen cities in exchange for the bi. Sensing treachery, the honorable but wily 5 See: J.J. Lally & Co., ed., Arts of Ancient China, March 27 – April 12, 2006 (New
York: J.J. Lally & Co.), 2006, no. 11.
Minister Lin convinced the King of Qin that a tiny flaw in the jade made the
6 See: Gisèle Croës, ed., Treasures of Ancient China / Splendor of Yongle Painting,
bi disc unsuitable for so powerful a ruler as he. Under that guise, Minister Lin Portraits of Nine Luohan, Brussels March 6–8, 2002 – New York March 18–30, 2002
successfully returned the jade disc to King Huiwen of Zhao. 4 (Brussels: Gisèle Croës), 2002, pp. 30-37.
7 See: Gisèle Croës, ed., Inspired Metalwork Part II – Precious Metal Objects in
Early Chinese Art, Brussels March 8–11, 2006 – New York March 28–April 6, 2002
The present fanghu and its virtually identical mate now in the Museum
(Brussels: Gisèle Croës), 2006, pp. 36-45.
Rietberg Museum, Zurich, are members of a small, cohesive group of five 8 National Palace Museum, ed., Catalogue of the Special Exhibition of Shang and
Fig. 1 Pictorial vessel of the type fanghu, China, Eastern Zhou dynasty, Zhanguo known pictorial fanghu vessels of similar form, with closely related narrative Chou Dynasty Bronze Wine Vessels (Taipei: National Palace Museum), 1989, pp.
period, 4th-3rd century BC. Bronze with copper inlay and glass, h. 43 cm. Museum scenes, and with remains of glass-frit paste in their sunken background 216-217, pl. 77. Fig. 2 Bronze wine vessel with hunting scene pattern, early Warring States period,
Rietberg Zurich, Gift of Alice and Pierre Uldry. © Museum Rietberg Zurich, Photo: 9 See: Charles D. Weber, Chinese Pictorial Bronze Vessels of the Late Chou Period c. 5th-4th century BC, h. 45.3 cm. The Collection of National Palace Museum, Taipei.
Rainer Wolfsberger. areas. (Fig. 1) One of those related vessels was exhibited and published by (Ascona, Switzerland: Artibus Asiae Publishers), 1968, fig. 45:d (line drawing of the 圖̣ 戰४早期ẗ獵紋鈁
DN 高
臺٫४⒤故宮博ḵ院藏
vessel in the Asian Art Museum).
圖一 戰國 青銅嵌黃銅及玻璃方壺, 43 cm. 高, ©蘇黎世里特貝格博物館藏, 攝影師:
Rainer Wolfsberger

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據古董商柯綺思 (Gisèle Croës) 所言， 殿內二人合捧或移交盤狀物的場面，或 質填料。 (圖一) 紐約J.J. Lally & Co.曾於2006年展出並發表其中一例， 柯綺思 關於里ṁ貝格博ḵ館藏方ૐ，圖見： IUUQT SJFUCFSH DI FO DPMMFDUJPO POMJOF ע述柯氏編著ⅲǗ5SFBTVSFT PG "ODJFOU $IJOBǘ頁 布魯ਫ਼ḓ：(JTrMF
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是描寫膾炙人口的戰國典故 ——「完璧歸趙」。若然如此，此物應是著名的「和氏 亦於2002年 及2006年 分別展出和發表餘下二例。 DPMMFDUJPOǐ $SPëT，
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璧」，其名來自「卞和」，相傳卞和於公元前八世紀得到一小塊白玉璞，其後玉璞被 關於中४۵代為動ḵ放血̃考釋，で見劉敦願著Ǖ徐州漢畫像⊅Ǚ擊馬ǚ圖ǖ，載於Ǘ文ḵ天 柯氏編著ⅲǗ*OTQJSFE .FUBMXPSL 1BSU ** ě 1SFDJPVT .FUBM 0CKFDUT JO &BSMZ
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言願用十五城易之。趙惠文王 (生卒年為公元前310至266年，公元前298至266年 博物館藏連蓋高座方壺 (館藏號B60 B773.a-.b)。 9 1BJOUJOH
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若秦王反悔，則設法完璧歸趙。其後，剛直不阿且智勇雙全的藺相如認為其中有詐， 本季呈獻的方壺充份展示了戰國鑄造工藝的造詣與創意。此外，其青銅紋飾亦成功 Ǚ完璧歸趙ǚՔ֨司馬遷 ☼Ռ元ע 或 至 年
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遂向秦王託辭玉有微瑕，不足以顯君威。最終，藺相如不辱使命，將和氏璧完好無缺 詮釋了當時的畫風，當中既涵蓋了大量戰國時期的生活場景，亦反映了當代畫師所 ) /JFOIBVTFS +S 編著ⅲǗ4TV NB $IĞFO 5IF (SBOE 4DSJCFĞT 3FDPSETǘ卷ˑ 1FSJPEǘ圖 E所示̯洲藝術博ḵ館藏品線描圖 瑞ૈ阿斯科納："SUJCVT "TJBF
地帶回趙國。 4 面臨的挑戰。本拍品著錄有序，並輔以科學鑑定，以證其真偽與定年，可見此例戰國 Ǖ5IF .FNPJST PG 1SF )BO $IJOB 5IF .FNPJST PG 1SF )BO $IJOB ǖ 頁 1VCMJTIFST，
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方壺確是一件匠心獨運的藝術瑰寶。 布盧明頓及印ⓧ安納波利斯：印ⓧ安那૯學֨ḛ社，
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哈佛大學藝術博物館亞洲部榮譽主任暨佳士得高級顧問
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