Page 102 - Nov 28 Chinese Art Hong Kong

The present pair of vases is very rare and no identical example 撇口，長頸，頸部兩側塑如意形雙耳，台肩，鼓腹，圈足微撇。通體
appears to have been published. They belong to a small group of 施白釉，釉面潔白瑩潤。頸部分別雕如意雲頭、蝙蝠、勾蓮，蕉葉
wares produced during the Qianlong reign referred to as fang Ding 紋，腹部雕纏枝蓮花，肩部及近足處分別雕如意鎖紋一周，環環相
yao, or ‘in imitation of Ding ware’ produced during the Song dynasty. 扣，足圈雕蕉葉紋，底部刻「大清乾隆年製」篆書款。
The aesthetic reference to the Ding wares is a personal reflection of
the Qianlong Emperor’s personal affinity to antiquity and his admiration 此對白釉雕花瓶極為難得，完全相同之例目前尚未見著錄。此式白釉
and desire to learn and be inspired by the forms and glazes first 雕花瓶，屬乾隆早期唐英督陶時仿宋代五代名窯之定窯而燒造的產
introduced during the Song dynasty. Compare a white-glazed baluster 品。自雍正以來，仿宋代五大名窯單色釉之風尚有增無減，至乾隆一
shaped vase carved with a lotus scroll, Qianlong seal mark and period, 朝，受乾隆帝好古敏求之影響，對單色釉的燒造要求更加嚴格，技術
described as imitating Ding, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated 亦更加成熟。北京故宮博物院清宮舊藏一件清乾隆仿定窯白釉凸花瓶
in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: 亦是此時期作品之一，見《故宮博物院藏文物珍品大系：顏色釉》，
Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, no.239; see also two 香港，1999年，編號239；英國維多利亞及阿爾伯特博物館同樣藏一
vases in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the first a related 件清乾隆白釉雙耳瓶（館藏編號CIRC.112-1935），以及一件清乾隆
white-glazed vase with moulded decoration, Qianlong seal mark and 白釉雕靈芝雙鹿耳尊（館藏編號C.553-1910），可資參考。
period, museum no.CIRC.112-1935 (which the museum acquired with
the assistance of Sir Percival David); and another white-glazed relief- 此式長頸及台肩式的賞瓶自乾隆一朝開始出現，以不同釉彩裝飾之同
decorated vase, Qianlong seal mark and period, with stag handles 式者，見北京故宮博物院藏一件清乾隆粉彩綠地勾蓮紋仕女圖瓶，《
and dragons and lingzhi decoration, museum no.C.553-1910. 故宮博物院藏文物珍品大系：琺瑯彩·粉彩》，上海，2009年，編號
122；另見香港蘇富比曾售出一件粉彩綠松地八吉祥瓶，2010年10月
In form, the pair of vases incorporates rounded stepped shoulders, 7日，拍品編號2132。
which are a distinct Qianlong reign innovation; see for example a famille
rose vase with similar stepped domed shoulders, Qianlong seal mark 在器物表面通體刻花，亦是乾隆時期普遍運用的裝飾手法，尤以此類
and period, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete 薄刻最為精工。此對瓶紋飾佈局嚴謹，疏密有致，華麗而不浮艷。其
Collection of the Treasures of the Palace Museum: Porcelains with 頸部刻靈芝、蝙蝠及萬字紋，並配以如意耳及腹部蓮花圖案，均為清
Cloisonne Enamel Decoration and Famille Rose Decoration, Shanghai, 宮祝壽或祭奠中常見的吉祥符號。對比暫得樓藏一件清乾隆青釉刻畫
2009, no.122; and see also a similarly shaped turquoise-ground ‘ famille 纏枝蓮紋如意耳瓶，其紋飾佈局與此對瓶類似，見《暫得樓清代官窯
rose bajixiang’ vase, Qianlong seal mark and period, which was sold at 單色釉瓷器》，香港，2005年，頁120，圖43。
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 October 2010, lot 2132.
香港蘇富比曾售出一件尺寸較小之清乾隆白釉雕雲龍紋瓶，2017年
The carved design on the pair of vases is precise and crisp and 10月3日，拍品編號3603；另見倫敦蘇富比售出一例，2012年11月
beautifully spaced around the surface of the vases, demonstrating the 7日，拍品編號110；香港佳士得亦售出一件清乾隆白釉雕一路連科
technical virtuosity achieved by the master potters during the Qianlong 瓶，尺寸較此對瓶稍小，2012年11月28日，拍品編號2129。
reign. The necks are decorated with bats suspending a wan emblem,
wanfu, meaning ‘ten thousand blessings’; the ruyi-shaped handles and
lappet border represent bestowing good wishes; and the lotus scroll, in
addition to being one of the Eight Buddhist Emblems, also represents
purity, longevity and nobility as well as peace when combined with a
vase. These auspicious blessings would have made the present pair of
vases particularly suitable for an Imperial birthday celebration; compare
a related larger celadon-glazed relief-carved vase, with ruyi handles
and lotus scroll design, Qianlong seal mark and period, illustrated in
Qing Imperial Monochromes: The Zande Lou Collection, Hong Kong,
2005, p.120, pl.43.

A smaller related relief-carved white-glazed ‘dragon’ bottle vase,
incised Qianlong seal mark and period, was sold at Sotheby’s Hong
Kong, 3 October 2017, lot 3603; see also a smaller related white-
glazed relief-carved vase, incised Qianlong seal mark and period,
which was sold at Sotheby’s London, 7 November 2012, lot 110;
and a related smaller relief-decorated white-glazed baluster vase,
incised Qianlong seal mark and period, which was sold at Christie’s
Hong Kong, 28 November 2012, lot 2129.

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