Page 72 - Christie's Important Chinese Works of Art, May 31 to June 1, 2023 Hong Kong

3038 Continued

This magnificent vase, measuring 68 cm. high, is truly extraordinary in 本瓶高68公分，呈八方形，碩大敦厚，線條利落，燒製難度極高，誠然乾隆
size and remarkably complex in construction. It is a testament to the 時期官窯佳品。瓶上飾如意耳、雙魚掛磬等傳統中國紋飾，結合寶藍地素面
consummate prowess of the Qianlong-period potters. The elaborately
moulded ruyi-form handles, coupled with the carp-and-chime motifs on 開光，整體視覺效果呈現東西方藝術元素的糅合，堂皇且大氣。乾隆時期
the neck and plain medallions on the body, reflect a confluence of both 瓷器常見開光紋飾，可能受西洋傳教士帶來的歐洲藝術品影響，但多內繪
Chinese and Western artistic elements. The medallion was a decorative 紋飾，典型例子有如北京故宮博物院藏乾隆琺瑯彩開光山水圖轉頸瓶，著
device often seen on European works of art, and increasingly applied 錄於博物館網頁https://www.dpm.org.cn/collection/ceramic/227089.
onto porcelains made during the Qianlong period, possibly from the html。素面無紋如本瓶則不可多見，瓶上呈現的褐、藍、白三色也常見於歐
influence of Jesuit missionaries at the court. A typical Qianlong vase
with medallion decorations would be the falangcai revolving vase with 洲瓷器上。本瓶結構複雜，結合東西方藝術風格，非常稀有；暫未見同類例
medallions enclosing landscape panels in the Palace Museum Collection, 子的出版，極有可能是孤品，且早於1932年著錄於大阪山中商會的圖錄，實
illustrated on the museum website https://www.dpm.org.cn/collection/ 屬難得，極具收藏及歷史價值。
ceramic/227089.html. However, it is very rare to find a vase with plain,
white panels like the current vase. The brown hues against the rich,
sapphire-blue glaze on the body reserving plain white medallions,
create a stark contrast of colours and palette combination often seen
on European porcelains. Such unusual combination of colours, tactful
melding of artistic elements, and impressively large size, make the current
vase exceptionally rare and possibly even unique. No other example of
similar design or construction appears to have been published. Aside
from its rarity, the current vase also has illustrious provenance, having
been published in the 1932 catalogue by the renowned Japanese dealer
Yamanaka.

70