Page 52 - Jie Rui Tang Kangxi porcelain mar 2018

SEEKING HEAVEN’S

BLESSING

父尛㣔愯

Of imposing size, the brilliantly painted imagery that envelopes the 劥ㅷ櫔㽯㼄焚㣐䕙蒀慭蒈粭䊨籖醲殥䪮礵
cylindrical body bristles with activity. Exquisitely painted with a 葻կ櫕魧♧鹊粭չ〨꼛꣖Ⱔպ佦✲Ⱙ佦》荈շ㼓
continuous narrative, this resplendent animated scene is derived from 牟怵纏ո♧剅կ姼剅衼倴⼧Ⱉ⚆私鶣㉁劣秅桬
the famous 16th century novel Fengshen Bang (The Investiture of the 僊贈俒桬⠄秅Ⱖ㶩娀桬用ワ瘝佦✲⟄〷㻜
Gods). The story describes the downfall of the Shang dynasty (1600- 捀呏亘ⶽ鸣ⴀ門牟ծ㦢桊瘝놽岁昰奙կ姼剅焷
1046 BC) crumbling under the tyrannical rule of a dissolute and depraved 用ば奙捀♳㣔䨾䱇ば桬薉僈倰捀㣔㶩䖤➃
ruler and its conquest by the righteous King Wen of Zhou whose son, 䗱格牟⸔կ䐀擳䋷⺐礵㕭屛ꌳ䠑琼㹁儗㽷
King Wu, established the Zhou dynasty (1046-256 BC). The historical 㤭㹁㣐幡涽奙莄姼剅㌇䠑걃捀㤎ざկ
basis for the vividly described con! ict is fantastically augmented by an
稢錘劤櫔⚺겗姻莃Ⱖ䨽贔儗➿麴湱ㄎ䥯կ櫔魦
array of immortals, spirits and demons " ghting alongside humans vying
䨽粬ワ劉㣓鮩孳⹲煇爏꥘⴨ꨡꨡ嵞諳⿾錘
for supremacy. The events of the 2nd millennium BC clearly established
⛒〨꼛꣖Ⱔ⛒⠭㣦〈뢵✳➂⵱⡲⹲㷏䓲邌植
a correlation between the actions of a ruler and divinely granted right to
⵸劉邜鷌⛒婩䜁歋罜瑱곎倜劉⛒䛩㸩㣐⹲կ㥴
rule. Only a wise and benevolent sovereign could inspire the necessary
姼礵䊪圓㕬鰊⟃稢篈殥䊨刿곎劤櫔⛒棆㦩կ
loyalty from both men and celestial beings in order to be granted the
秘귅衼葿鞮㺡鋅僇笁ծ廲诛ծ军랓⿹꘬秊ꂁ⟃
Mandate of Heaven. The historical event responsible for establishing the
랱䕙⿹䲽ꆃկ➂暟ⵟ殥㪦䡾㢳垺꬗湱⺟粬醱꧷
Mandate of Heaven was of such signi" cance that it attained legendary
欰⹛稢篈Ⰵ䗍⚺錬➂暟䲽粬彊然僒鳸կ
status. This linkage of meritorious leadership and dynastic power had
particular resonance for the Kangxi emperor who was determined to 姼櫔葻䊨䊫醢䨽粭➃暟滞㢴㪦䡾ぐ殯礵䕙
stabilize the empire and legitimize his mandate. 移ッ㽯㼄焚㣐噱Ⱖꨈ䖤⫦♧⢾〳嫱植诡倴
莌ꆄ㿋❏崍谀遮⽆暟긫㕭鯺倴R. L. d’Argencé
Every aspect of this magni" cent vase serves to positively endorse a
շChinese Ceramics in the Avery Brundage
correlation between the victorious Zhou and newly established Manchu
Collectionո莌ꆄ㿋1967䎃갤146㕬晛68⟃
dynasty. The composition ingeniously integrates with the columnar
⿹顭ⵃշChinese Ceramics. A New Standard
form as the closely gathered assemblage of the victorious Zhou
Guideո⧍侚1996䎃㕬晝646㕭♧鑪櫕ⵠ
army in staggered formation encounters a meager representation of
殥㸢溫㸺颟⽪✮嘥㹻㼞㜥꬗렳渿䨾粭➃暟㢴
its enemy in the form of two Shang princes bowing in deference.
麧❀⼧Ⱉ➃礵稣ⴀ滞殥䊨〳嫱劥櫕կ
The overwhelming pictorial imbalance between the opposing forces
reinforces the legitimacy of the Zhou triumph. The clever con" guration
is immeasurably strengthened by the virtuosity of the painting. An array
of vivid green and blue enamels, balanced by warm yellow and iron-red
tones is considerably enriched with black and gilt enamels masterfully
applied for de" nition and depth. Each " gure and animal is individualized
with di# ering coloration, accoutrements or apparel and a captivating
range of demeanor registered on the many and varied visages. Several
of the key " gures, both historical and mythological, can be identi" ed by %&&%*+/3 322, ;3/<+=
distinctive features or attributes.
50 SOTHEBY’S