Page 154 - Sothebys HK Dragon Emperor April 2024

This censer is striking for its large size, imposing mask-form 本品爐，器形碩大，穩健端重，朝冠耳線條
feet and unusual geometric design of chilong. By drawing 流暢，剛健有力，怒獸銜足，莊重威嚴，鑄
from the past and combining it with modern designs with 工精良，技藝嫻熟，取源東周青銅鼎，一息
technical mastery, the result is an arresting statement of the
power and grandeur of the Qianlong era. The form derives 尚古之氣猶存，彰顯乾隆一朝之繁榮盛世。
from an ancient ritual bronze prototype, ding, of the Eastern
Zhou period. A heightened sense of dynamism is achieved 本品銅爐，應為佛教五供之一，用於儀式祭典，
through the elongated handles that extend dramatically in an 肅正莊嚴。此類器應為宮中佛寺而鑄，多為御貢
S-curve from the globular body, a feature that first appeared 之器，除爐外，全套五供另包括瓶及燭臺各一
in the Song dynasty. The curves of the form and fierce
masks that form the legs provide an attractive contrast with 對。參考一對瓶例，紋飾相類，龍耳活環，上拍
the straight lines and sharp angles of the design. 於紐約佳士得2008年9月17日，編號601；另見一
Censers such as the present example comprised part of 單瓶例，上拍於倫敦蘇富比2016年11月9日，編
a five-piece altar garniture and would have created an 號138。亦可參考一相類乾隆爐例，獅足，飾幾
impressive scene during ritual ceremonies, thus emphasizing 何紋，售香港佳士得2015年6月3日，編號3118。
the importance and solemnity of such events. These
garnitures were produced for specific temples in the Imperial 此類乾隆香爐，亦見飾龍紋者。參考兩例，
Palace and were generally commissioned as tributes to the
emperor. In addition to the censer, a complete set would 藏太廟及奉先殿，載圖攝於該地，錄於萬
comprise two pear-shaped vases derived from archaic hu 依，《清代宮廷生活》，香港，1985年，
vases, and two candlesticks. A pair of vases decorated 紐約，1988年，圖版473及474；另見一例，
with the same designs of geometric scrolls and ruyi bands 售紐約佳士得2016年9月16日，編號1227。
at the base of the neck and foot respectively, flanked with
dragon scroll handles, was offered at Christie’s New York,
17th September 2008, lot 601; and another single vase was 參考一全套五供例，飾龍紋，同上註，圖版467，
offered in our London rooms, 9th November 2016, lot 138. 載圖攝於慈寧宮咸若館，為后妃禮佛之所；另見
Compare also another Qianlong mark and period censer of 一例，售香港蘇富比2008年4月11日，編號2826；
related form, but supported on lion-mask feet and cast with 再見一套，出自 Robert H. Clague 收藏，現寶蓄
bands of geometric scrolls, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 3rd 鳳凰城美術館，鳳凰城，錄《China’s Renaissance
June 2015, lot 3118.
in Bronze》，鳳凰城美術館，1994年，編號38。
Qianlong mark and period censers of this type are known
cast with dragons; see two illustrated in situ in a shrine in the
Hall of the Imperial Ancestral Temple and Hall of Ancestral 相類禮器，除飾龍紋外，亦見飾鳳紋例，或為皇太后
Worship, published in Wan Yi, Qingdai gongting shenghuo / 所供造。見一銅瓶例，出自莫里森舊藏，售倫敦佳士
Daily Life in the Forbidden City, Hong Kong, 1985, New York, 得2004年11月9日，編號17；另見龍鳳紋對瓶，曾三
1988, pls 473 and 474; and another sold at Christie’s New 度售於香港蘇富比，最近一次為2007年10月9日，編
York, 16th September 2016, lot 1227. 號1322。
Complete garniture sets include a much larger set decorated
with dragons, illustrated ibid., pl. 467, in situ in the Xianruo
Temple, located in the garden of Cininggong (Palace of
Compassion and Tranquility) where the empress and
consorts conducted Buddhist religious ceremonies; another
sold in these rooms, 11th April 2008, lot 2826; and a set
in the Robert H. Clague collection, now in the Phoenix Art
Museum, Phoenix, included in the museum’s exhibition
China’s Renaissance in Bronze, Phoenix Art Museum,
Phoenix, 1994, cat. no. 38.
Ritual vessels of this type were also decorated with phoenix
instead of dragons, indicating that they may have been
commissioned as a tribute to the Qianlong emperor’s
mother. See a bronze altar vase, from the Alfred Morrison
collection, sold at Christie’s London, 9th November 2004,
lot 17; and another pair of imperial bronze vessels cast with
dragons and phoenix sold three times in these rooms and
most recently 9th October 2007, lot 1322.

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