Page 131 - Sothebys HK Dragon Emperor April 2024

Amongst the many rulers during China’s extensive history, 中國歷代無數帝王中，乾隆帝可說是首屈一指之藝術
the Qianlong Emperor (1644-1911) was arguably one of the 鑑賞家。其藝術收藏之深度及廣度，令人歎為觀止，
greatest in respect to his connoisseurship and appreciation 涵蓋古今。此品之周代玉璧，乃其珍賞之物，巧妙嵌
of the nation’s art. He was a fanatic collector of masterpieces
and had amassed an art collection of enormous scope and 於紫檀座上，以作文房供玩之用。其嵌造、木雕之巧
size that included antiques as well as contemporary pieces. 工，乃出自清宮造辦處之頂級工藝。
The present Zhou dynasty (1100-256 BC) bi would have
been amongst his cherished items, expertly mounted in a 乾隆帝賞此玉璧之心得，盡現於其御製詩〈詠周玉素
beautifully fashioned zitan table screen so it can be placed 璧〉，錄於《清高宗御製詩文全集．御製詩四集》
on a writing desk. The construction and the carving of the ，卷38，頁3，收錄入冊時約丙申年夏（圖一）。詩
mounting itself represents workmanship of the highest
quality only available from the Imperial Palace Workshop. 云：「質本羊脂白，色今栗子黃。難因辨蒲谷，全不
藉文章。穆穆含元氣，英英孕葆光。原為人世玩，笑
The Qianlong Emperor’s thoughts on the jade bi’s are
expressed in his poem titled ‘A Song for a Zhou Dynasty 古費收藏。」
Pure White Jade Disc’ which is included in the Qing Gaozong
yuzhi shiwen quanji [Anthology of imperial Qianlong poems 從詩中可見，乾隆帝珍視此璧，讚其應受世人玩賞。
and text], yuzhi shi si ji [Imperial poetry, vol. 4], vol. 38, p. 詩文提及蒲穀，顯示其對於古玉紋飾之精通。記詩之
3 (Summer 1776, fig. 1). The poem may be translated as 時，與屏上所刻之年份差異，雖令人不解，然根據記
follows:
載，此詩前二句，早已出現於乾隆帝元年（1736年）
Its material initially mutton fat white, 所作另一詩中，至於乾隆帝是否重用舊句，或者匠人
The colour now is chestnut flesh yellow,
No distinguishing any cattails or mulberries here, 刻造時紀年出錯，已無從而知。
For absolutely no patterns are left that can be seen.
Solemnly majestic, replete with primordial energy, 插屏玉璧不僅悅帝王之目，亦是彰顯輝煌歷史之器。
Radiantly glossy, suffused with muted light, 北京故宮博物院藏清宮廷繪畫《弘曆是一是二圖》
Originally made for a single lifetime’s enjoyment, 軸，畫中高宗閑坐書室，其左側桌上置嵌玉璧木雕
It laughs at how much collectors have paid for it ever since!
鏤空插屏，並見青銅觚、卷冊等物，圖刊於《盛世
The Emperor praises this bi as a work that was made for a 華章》，英國皇家藝術學院，倫敦，2005-6年，編號
single lifetime’s enjoyment. The Emperor’s knowledge of the
stone itself is also impressive and his reference to ‘cattails 196。傳世相類古玉題乾隆御製詩紫檀插屏，主要收
and mulberries’ reflects his familiarity with the shallow relief 藏於台北故宮博物院，如兩件嵌有素璧之品，上題
decoration frequently found on ancient jade discs. The 紀年乾隆三十七（1772年）及四十九年（1784年）
discrepancy between the dating of the poem and the carving 之御製詩，且有御印，刊於鄧淑蘋，《院藏新石器
on the screen is interesting to note. The first couplet in the 時代玉器圖錄》，台北，1992年，圖版100。博物院
poem already appears on a much earlier imperial poem, 另外四穀紋玉璧作例，則載於《故宮古玉圖錄》，
one Qianlong wrote in 1736. Whether he ‘recycled’ some of
his favourite phrases or lines, or the carver dated the poem 台北，1982年，編號63、68、188、189，其中圖版68
erroneously remains a matter of debate. 、188，記為三十八年（1773年），另二例則分別為
While jade bi mounted on table screens were made to please 三十五（1770年）及四十三年（1778年）。
the emperor and were beautiful objects, they also served
as a reminder and keepsake of the glorious past. A court 亦可參見另一作例，其玉璧碩大，紀年乾隆三十
painting of the Qianlong emperor seated in one of his studios 五，1990年10月10日售於香港佳士得，編號1901
surrounded by ancient treasures, One or Two?, depicts a ，2007年4月8日再售於香港蘇富比，編號603。水
mounted jade bi in a wooden frame on a table with a bronze
vase and albums (China. The Three Emperors 1662-1795, 松石山房舊藏類同作例，御製詩作於乾隆三十九年
Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2005-6, cat. no. 196). Two （1774年），由香港蘇富比售出，2009年10月8日，
related zitan screens with plain jade bi, engraved with poems 編號1808。可相較之例還有一屏，御製詩紀年乾隆四
and seals of the Emperor, are illustrated in Teng Shu-p’ing, 十三，見《參加倫敦中國藝術國際展覽會出品圖說》
Neolithic Jades in the Collection of the Palace Museum, ，英國皇家藝術學院，倫敦，1935年，編號2776。另
Taipei, 1992, pl. 100, the stands inscribed with poems dated
to 1772 and 1784, respectively. 一例1989年11月15日香港蘇富比售出，編號503。香
港蘇富比還售一例，御製詩作於約二十九年（1764
See also a screen with an exceptionally large bi with the
inscription on the outer edge dated to 1770, sold in these 年），1997年11月4日拍出，編號1201。
rooms, 8th April 2007, lot 603; and another very similar
example, with an imperial poem dated to 1774, from the
Water, Pine and Stone Retreat collection, also sold in these
rooms, 8th October 2009, lot 1808.

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