Page 138 - Important Chinese Art Hong Kong April 2, 2019 Sotheby's

Stately in its form and design, this vase is impressive for its 本壺器形敦厚穩重，紋飾端秀，而且尺寸宏碩，通體
large size which has been flawlessly potted and covered in 花紋圖案精密細膩，足見匠藝高深。乾隆一朝造瓷，
finely executed motifs. It represents the Qianlong style in its 喜博採古今工藝特色，從明瓷紋飾、織品以至高古銅
amalgamation of influences which draw from Ming ceramic 器，皆被引以迎合當下審美情趣，本品即為一例。此
patterns that have been adapted to contemporary taste, as 外，本品鈷藍釉發色濃艷，可見當時色料等素材皆為
well as textiles and archaic bronzes. The decoration is also
notable for the brilliance of the blue cobalt, which reflects 上等，瓷匠選優材而展所長，技藝精湛之餘，亦匠心
the high standard of resources available to the potters who 獨運，時創新款。
excelled in both technical and creative capabilities.
此壺製作不易，瓷匠技藝須達一定火候，並借鑑各式
The creation of this hu demanded considerable expertise and
the potter has borrowed extensively from archaic styles and 高古藝術風格及造型，故成品慕古而不泥古，當中頗
forms while creating a piece that is both steeped in tradition 有新意。本壺雙耳仿周朝獸紋，但匠人將之抽象簡
yet innovative. The handles are also inspired by the animal 化，僅表現輪廓線條，流露時匠審美趣味。
handles of the Zhou period but have been abstracted to a
mere silhouette of the original, thus endowing the vessel with 此碩大壺形仿自古青銅器，作法始見於雍正年間，時
a sense of contemporaneity. 唐英出任景德鎮御窰督陶官，乾隆即位後續任此職。
This large form was first transposed from bronze into 唐英承意旨，積極向高古藝術風格取材，而且高宗好
porcelain during the preceding Yongzheng period under 鑑藏青銅、玉等器物，故乾隆一朝，古風盛行。
the guidance of China’s most famous Superintendent of
the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen, Tang Ying (1682-1756), 本品壺身蓮紋花枝繁盛，每朵蓮花圈以捲延枝草，壺
who served both the Yongzheng and Qianlong Emperors. 頸飾一圈壽字紋。此外，本壺巧以鈷藍點苔仿明初青
Encouraged to look to archaic forms and designs for 花黑疵，營造深淺對比，卻以粗獷枝妍代替前朝纖花
inspiration, this trend for archaism continued to flourish
throughout the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, who was 細葉，突顯器身豐碩飽滿。壺頸萬字錦地飾團壽，
also a great connoisseur and collector of bronzes, jades and 觀感寬宏大雅，明顯仿自織品，可參考一幅萬字錦
works of art. 刺繡，展於《盛世華章》，英國皇家藝術學院，倫
敦，2005年，編號33。此壺器身紋飾布局精妙，巧用
Particularly notable on this vase are the large stylised lotus
blooms tucked within dense C-scrolls and the band of shou 留白空間，使整體造型華美豐富而不過於繁縟。
characters encircling the neck. More commonly rendered in
the ‘heaped and piled’ technique to mimic early Ming blue 上海博物館收藏一件近例，錄於《胡惠春先生王華雲
and white wares, the present design has replaced the thin, 女士捐贈瓷器精品選》，上海，1989年，圖版62。另
delicate scrolls and flowers with a much thicker, bold design 一例，載於耿寶昌，《明清瓷器鑑定》，香港，1993
to result in an intensity that accentuates the robustness 年，圖版455。趙從衍舊藏一對，售於香港蘇富比
of the vessel. This effect is heightened by the broad band 1987年5月19日，編號272，展於《華光艸堂珍藏清代
of shou medallions on a diaper ground, which has clearly 瓷器》，香港中文大學文物館，香港，1973年，編號
been inspired by textile designs; see a large embroidered 68。再有一例，Marchese Giuseppe Salvago Raggi 舊
shou wall panel included in the exhibition China: The Three
Emperors 1662-1795, The Royal Academy of Arts, London, 藏，售於倫敦蘇富比2012年5月16日，編號129。
2005, cat. no. 303. The dexterity of the craftsman is evident
in the arrangement of the composition, where the negative
space has been treated as crucial to the overall design in
successfully creating a sense of splendour.
A closely related vase in the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai,
is illustrated in Selected Ceramics from the Collection of Mr
and Mrs J.M. Hu, Shanghai, 1989, pl. 62; another is included
in Geng Baochang, Ming Qing ciqi jianding [Appraisal of Ming
and Qing porcelain], Hong Kong, 1993, pl. 455; one of a pair
from the T.Y. Chao collection, sold in these rooms, 19th May
1987, lot 272, was included in the exhibition Ch’ing Porcelain
from the Wah Kwong Collection, Art Gallery, The Chinese
University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1973, cat. no. 68;
another, from the collection of Marchese Giuseppe Salvago
Raggi, was sold in our London rooms, 16th May 2012, lot 129.

136 SOTHEBY ’S IMPORTANT CHINESE ART