Page 80 - Bonhams Hong K June 2016

The present vase is exceptionally rare - one of only three recorded - 尊呈渣斗式，廣口外撇，長頸，鼓腹，圈足外撇，足底青花篆書六字
with the other two examples, a pair from the collection of Milo, 7th 款。器外壁以釉下青花飾如意雲頭紋、卷雲紋以及蕉葉紋，留白處以
Baron Talbot of Malahide, Malahide Castle, Co. Dublin, Ireland, 釉上礬紅彩飾四組夔鳳紋，肩部及圈足則對應分別飾四隻蝙蝠紋。
having been sold at Christie's Hong Kong on 1 June 2011, lot 3652.
此尊為目前已知傳世品中僅存三件之一，其他兩件為愛爾蘭都柏林
Whilst the underglaze-blue lingzhi-fungus shaped cloud scrolls and 郡馬拉海德城堡塔爾博特家族第七世男爵舊藏，後由香港佳士得售
the iron-red enamelled bats, bestowing the wish for long life, are a 出，2011年6月1日，拍品3652。
mainstay of Qing dynasty auspicious decorative motifs, the archaistic
iron-red enamelled mythical creatures are a rare feature. It has been 渣斗式花器最晚在宋代已經開始使用，且器形為後代宮廷所沿用，至
proposed that they may be identified as kuifeng (kui phoenixes), 清早期則出現尺寸較小之渣斗式花插，但以青花礬紅技藝裝飾之例則
based on the wings and bi-furcated tails. This is further supported 極為少見。此尊以青花飾如意卷雲紋，再以礬紅在釉上描圖案並二次
by an underglaze-blue and iron-red enamel dish, Yongzheng mark 入窯，燒製工序繁複，耗費昂貴，成窯率低。以礬紅飾夔鳳紋所燒的
and period, decorated with a pair of kui phoenix, from the Qing Court 御窯器數量極少，目前僅見北京故宮博物院藏兩例，一例為清雍正青
Collection, and an iron-red, blue and green-enamelled waterpot, 花礬紅彩夔鳳紋碟，第二例為清雍正白地礬紅彩夔鳳紋舖首耳水丞，
Yongzheng, decorated with kui phoenixes, both displaying similar 兩件器物之夔鳳表現手法均與此尊類似，見《故宮博物院藏文物珍品
features such as the upturned culing snout and rings on the body, 大系：雜釉彩·素三彩》，上海，2009年，圖22及151。
illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace
Museum: Miscellaneous Enamelled Porcelains, Plain Tricoloured 通常認為夔鳳紋是由商、周時期青銅器皿上的鳳鳥紋演變而來。然細
Porcelains, Shanghai, 2009, pls.22 and 151. 觀西周早期青銅器上夔龍紋及鳳鳥紋，可見清代之夔鳳紋更靠近商
代後期及西周早期之夔龍紋。如陝西省寶雞市出土一件西周早期伯各
However, the feature of upwards curling snout evident on these 卣，其頸部和圈足所飾曲身龍紋與陝西省扶風縣出土西周中期豐尊有
mythical creatures is more readily identified in archaic bronzes as kui 較大差別，前者更像此尊上所飾夔鳳紋之原型，見台北國立故宮博物
dragons; see for example the stylised dragons on an early Western 院編，《赫赫宗周：西周文化特展》，台北，2003年，圖100及101
Zhou dynasty bronze you vessel and cover, illustrated in the National 。明代御用瓷器上出現的翼龍或應龍，亦可能是由夔龍紋而衍生，如
Palace Museum, Taipei, exhibition catalogue The Cultural Grandeur 1993年景德鎮御窯朱山出土一件明宣德青花海獸紋高足杯，以及另北
of the Western Zhou Dynasty, Taipei, 2012, pl.100. This feature is 京故宮博物院藏一件明宣德青花海水礬紅紋異獸紋高足盌，均可見具
rather different than the archaic depiction of phoenixes, which is 有象鼻、帶翼的龍紋，見《明代宣德御窯瓷器：景德鎮御窯遺址出土
shown with a distinct sharp beak and tail feathers, as demonstrated 與故宮博物院藏傳世瓷器對比》，北京，2015年，圖29及94。
on a middle Western Zhou dynasty zun wine vessel, illustrated in ibid.,
pl.101. Furthermore, it would seem that the winged kui dragons on the 乾隆皇帝乾嗜古如痴，崇尚慕古之風，在藝術上注重慕古而創新的風
present vase, also referred to as ying long or feiyu ('flying fish dragon'), 格。他不但重視宮中所藏商周清宮彝器，而且還特意下旨命造辦處照
are a continuation of winged dragons, depicted on early Ming Imperial 《西清古鑑》而仿造。此尊之紋飾在夔龍的基礎上加入新元素形成夔
porcelain dated to the Xuande and Chenghua periods, amongst other 鳳紋，正體現了乾隆皇帝好古慕雅的藝術情節。
'sea creatures' or haishou; see for example a blue and white 'sea
creatures' stem cup, Xuande mark and period, excavated in 1993 from 乾隆一朝使用青花礬紅彩裝飾的尊，見北京故宮博物院藏一例，著錄
the Imperial kiln site in Jingdezhen, and another in underglaze-blue and 於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集：青花釉裏紅（下）》，上海，2010
iron-red enamel, from the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in Imperial 年，圖225。
Porcelains from the Reign Xuande in the Ming Dynasty, Beijing, 2015,
pls.29 and 94; and a blue and white bowl, Chenghua mark and period,
illustrated in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, Catalogue of the
Special Exhibition of Ch'eng-hua Porcelain Ware, Taipei, 2003, pl.17.

The archaistic inspiration as depicted on this vase is a manifestation
of the Qianlong emperor's wish to 'restore ancient ways', calling
on craftsman to draw inspiration from archaic examples, enabling
them to imbue their designs with simplicity and honesty, achieving
refinement and elegance. The 'ancient ways' referred to the intrinsic
values of sincerity, simplicity, and happy exuberance. As shown above,
the decoration and palette are also in direct continuation from the
preceding Yongzheng period, although displaying innovation in the
unusual elongated form.

The vase is related in form and similar in palette to an underglaze-
blue and iron-red enamel vase, Qianlong seal mark and period, from
the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of
Treasures of The Palace Museum: Blue and White Porcelain with
Underglaze Red (III), Shanghai, 2010, pl.225.

78 | BONHAMS Image courtesy of the Palace Musuem, Beijing
北京故宮博物院藏