Page 48 - Nov 28 Chinese Art Hong Kong

The present lot is particularly rare for its gilt-bronze and turquoise-inlay The Imperial throne halls were designed to inspire awe and demonstrate
design, and would have most likely graced one of the Imperial throne the power and capabilities of the emperor to rule. No restraint was
halls. Compare, however, a very similar pair of gilt-bronze luduan shown in the furnishings and works of art surrounding the emperor and
incense burners with nearly identical lotus-shaped turquoise-inlays, his Court. This extravagance is exemplified in the present lot remarkably
Qianlong, in the Shenyang Imperial Palace Museum, illustrated by embellished with turquoise-inlays forming lotus blossoms scattered
R.L.Thorp, Son of Heaven: Imperial Arts of China, Seattle, 1989, p.40, around the richly gilt body of the elaborately cast mythical beast. See a
nos.33-34 (one of a pair). related pair of larger gilt-bronze and champlevé enamel ‘luduan’ incense
burners, inlaid with turquoise and semi-precious stones, Qianlong, in the
Luduan are legendary beasts believed to be capable of detecting the Musée National du Château de Fontainebleau, illustrated by M.Crick,
truth, travelling great distances in short amounts of time and fluent in Chine Impériale: Splendeurs de la Dynastie Qing 1644-1911, Geneva,
all languages. Often mistaken for qilin, which have hooved feet, luduan 2014, pp.44-45.
tend to have rounder bodies and clawed paws. Due to their mythical
abilities, incense burners in the form of these beasts were favoured by See a related gilt-bronze and semi-precious-stone embellished incense
the Court and were important in the Imperial context, symbolising the burner and cover, Qianlong, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei,
emperor’s wisdom as a virtuous ruler with the mandate from Heaven to illustrated in Special Exhibition of Incense Burners and Perfumers
rule. They formed an important part of the Imperial Hall paraphernalia, Throughout the Dynasties, Taipei, 1994, no.119; and another example,
placed on either side of the Imperial throne, with the smoke emanating which was sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 10 April 2006, lot 1542; see
from the open jaws. Such incense burners were first made during also a related gilt-splashed mythical-beast censer, 17th/18th century,
the Ming dynasty in bronze and jade, with more lavish and colourful which was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3948.
luduan incense burners, produced at the zenith of the Qing dynasty,
exemplifying the power, prosperity and superb craftsmanship 此式以綠松石鑲嵌之銅鎏金甪端香爐在傳世品中極其少見，目前僅見
achieved in the Qianlong reign. For Ming dynasty examples in jade, 瀋陽故宮博物院藏一對，原本用於放置在瀋陽故宮皇帝臨朝聽政之金
see Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 7 Ming 鑾殿寶座兩旁，著錄於R.L.Thorp，《Son of Heaven: Imperial Arts of
Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, nos.49-50; for a gilt-bronze example, Ming China》，西雅圖，1989年，頁40，編號33-34（一對之一）。
dynasty, see H.Moss and G.Tsang, Arts from the Scholar’s Studio,
Hong Kong, 1986, p.241, pl.232; and for Qing dynasty examples in 甪端乃中國古代傳說中的神獸，與麒麟相似，頭上有一角，宋《符瑞
cloisonné enamel, gilt-bronze, and champlevé enamel with inlays of 志》曰：「甪端日行萬八千里，又曉四夷之語，聖主在位，明達方外
various materials, flanking the throne in Imperial halls, see Classics of 幽遠，則奉書而至。」因此瀋陽故宮金鑾殿以及北京故宮太和殿兩邊
the Forbidden City: Imperial Furniture of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, 均有甪端護衛在側，肅穆威嚴，以顯示皇帝為有道明君，身在寶座而
Beijing, 2007, nos.359, 361 and 362. 曉天下事，做到八方歸順，四海來朝，聖明地治理天下。甪端式香
爐在明代宮廷玉器及青銅器上已有出現，玉器之例，見《故宮博物院
藏品大系：玉器編7明代》，北京，2011年，編號49-50；明代銅鎏
金之例，見H.Moss及G.Tsang《Arts from the Scholar’s Studio》，香
港，1986年，頁241，圖232；清代鏨胎填琺瑯嵌百寶甪端，見《故宮
經典：故宮明式家具圖典》，北京，2007年，編號359，361及362。

清宮中亦使用此類甪端放香爐置於皇帝寶座前，以使得殿堂中氣氛
更加肅穆威嚴，此類甪端通常裝飾華麗，身體嵌綠松石或百寶，見
法國國家博物館楓丹白露宮藏一對鏨胎嵌百寶甪端式香爐，著錄於
M.Crick，《Chine Impériale: Splendeurs de la Dynastie Qing 1644-
1911》，日內瓦，2014年，頁44-45。
台北故宮博物院藏一件清乾隆銅鎏金嵌百寶甪端，見《故宮歷代
香具圖錄》，台北，1994年，編號119；另見香港蘇富比曾售出一
例，2006年4月10日，拍品編號1542；香港佳士得曾售出一例十七/十
八世紀銅胎灑金甪端式香爐，2011年6月1日，拍品編號3948。

Image after R.L.Thorp, Son of Heaven: Imperial Arts
of China, Seattle, 1989, p.40
瀋陽故宮博物院藏， R.L.Thorp，《Son of Heaven:
Imperial Arts of China》，西雅圖，1989年，頁40

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