Page 44 - Bonhams Ming and Qing Cloisonne Hong Kong December 2, 2021

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A RARE CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL AND GILT-BRONZE ‘BUDDHIST Compare with a very similar cloisonné enamel ewer and cover,
LIONS’ EWER 16th century, also decorated with lions, illustrated by H.Brinker
16th century and A.Lutz, Chinesisches Cloisonné: Die Sammlung Pierre Uldry,
Of ovoid form with a high arched loop handle and serpentine spout, Zurich, 1984, no.98. The author notes that ‘no prototype in porcelain
enamelled around the body with six Buddhist lions encircling two
brocade balls tied with ribbons, amidst ruyi-head clouds interrupted [of this shape] exist, but other examples are known in cloisonné
by a small vase holding precious objects, all between a band of ruyi- enamel. These ewers, sometimes decorated with lions, sometimes
head petals around the shoulder and lotus petals around the base, with scrolling lotus, possibly served as ritual vessels in Buddhist or
the neck, spout and base similarly enamelled with scrolling foliage. Lamaist ritual ceremonies.’
22.2cm (8 3/4in) wide.
Compare with a very similar cloisonné enamel ewer and cover, 16th
HKD250,000 - 350,000 century, which was sold at Christie’s Paris, 7 December 2007, lot
US$32,000 - 45,000 6; and another very similar cloisonné enamel ewer and cover, 17th
century, which was sold at Christie’s London, 12 November 2010,
十六世紀 銅胎掐絲琺瑯獅子繡球穿花執壺 lot 1146.

參看美國鳳凰城藝術博物館藏一件十六世紀掐絲琺瑯獅子繡球盤，著
Although the lion is not native to China, its image has long been
important to the repertoire of Chinese iconography. Lions were first 錄於C.Brown，《Chinese Cloisonné: The Clague Collection》，鳳凰
presented to the Han court by emissaries from Central Asia and 城藝術博物館，1980年，頁22-23，圖版3。另對比一件非常相似的
Persia, and the Chinese for lion (shi 獅) is thought to be derived 十六世紀掐絲琺瑯獅子繡球穿花執壺，著錄於H.Brinker 及 A.Lutz，
from the Persian word šer. Lions were often seen in stone statuary, 《Chinesisches Cloisonné: Die Sammlung Pierre Uldry》，蘇黎
世，1984年，編號98。
symbolising protection and law, and from the Tang dynasty, appeared
on decorative arts. The Buddha’s teachings are often referred to
as the ‘lion’s roar’ in the sutras, indicating their power and nobility. 巴黎佳士得曾售出一件類似的十六世紀掐絲琺瑯獅子繡球穿花執
壺，2007年12月7日，拍品編號6。另見倫敦佳士得售出一例，2010
Buddhist lions playing with a brocade ball became the most popular
form of imagery for the lion during the Ming dynasty. For a very 年11月12日，拍品編號1146。
similar decoration of Buddhist lions, see a cloisonné enamel dish,
16th century, illustrated by C.Brown, Chinese Cloisonné: The Clague
Collection, Phoenix Art Museum, 1980, pp.22-23, pl.3.

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