Page 141 - Nov 28 Chinese Art Hong Kong

The present cup is exceptionally rare in belonging to a very small group 此作品由亞洲犀角雕成。杯身以一大片蓮葉為杯的主體，杯身浮雕
termed ‘caryatid cups’ in rhinoceros horn libation cups in which the 飾以蓮花和細葉，下部分以透雕手法雕成，蓮葉莖分別由兩個人物
cup is held aloft by a human or animal figure. According to J.Chapman, 手持，其中一個人物騎著屈膝小羊，另一人物旁邊飾一童子，姿態不
this very small group numbers only four known libation cups, including 一，活潑生動。此犀角色澤光潤細膩，雕工精細，造型優美。要雕成
the present lot; see J.Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn Carving 此杯所需工藝非常繁複且極具難度，匠工巧妙地把蓮葉最底下的葉莖
in China, London, 1999, pp.74-75, pl.41. Of the other three known 和其中一人物的頭後部連接起來，以提供足夠的力度來支撐和平衡整
examples, two are illustrated by J.Chapman, ibid., pp.73-74, pls.39- 件作品，同時又機巧地安排該人物的右手抓住另一葉莖，整體呈現自
40, the first from the Marcel Lorber collection, in the Israel Museum, 然，使得連接的部分不那麼顯而易見，匠工嫻熟高超的技藝可見一
Jerusalem, and the second in the Van Veen collection, Holland. 斑。此外，此杯以浮雕及透雕工藝雕畫出的蓮葉葉脈細緻，人物栩栩
如生，是犀角工匠高手的傑作。
This outstanding work of art would have required a complex and
challenging craftsmanship, demonstrated in the master carver subtly 類似於本作品的犀角杯非常罕見，屬於為數極少的一組被稱為「人像
linking the stem of the lowest part of the lotus leaf to the back of the 柱杯」的犀角杯，杯身通常以飾在下部分的人物或動物高舉。根據
man’s head in order to provide strength and support, while ingeniously Jan Chapman的說法，此類犀角杯已知的傳世品只有四件，包括本拍
arranging his right hand to grasp the narrow stem of the leaf so 品，見Jan Chapman著，《中國犀角雕刻藝術》，倫敦，1999年，頁
that the linkage would not appear to be noticeable. The naturalistic 74-75，圖41；其餘三件中有兩件也著錄在同書中，見頁73-74，圖
carvings of the lotus leaves and figures in various levels of relief further 39-40，一件為Marcel Lorber舊藏，現藏於耶路撒冷以色列博物館；
display the technical virtuosity of the carver, conveying a sense of 另一件為荷蘭Van Veen收藏。此杯亦富含吉祥寓意。蓮與連同音，因
sophistication and liveliness, achieving what could be described as 此童子持蓮有「連生貴子」、「多子多孫」的寓意。羊又與陽字諧
a masterpiece of rhinoceros horn carving. The word lotus is a pun 音，所以羊被賦予光明、吉祥等寓意。此外，小羊有屈膝求乳的形
for ‘continuous’ (lian 連) and the boy is a symbol for a wish for a son; 態，被儒家認為是一種至親至孝的象徵。
together, they represent the blessing of continuously giving birth to
distinguished sons (liansheng guizi 連生貴子). Moreover, the goat
represents the spirit or birth of light and life as a homophone of yang
陽 at the same time is also a symbol of filial piety.

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