Page 149 - Important Chinese Art Hong Kong April 2, 2019 Sotheby's

The simplicity of this form, the sides of which dramatically 本品器形，簡潔素雅，細口圓肩，始創興盛於雍正一
drop down from high shoulders, is a Yongzheng innovation 朝，大雅之風，雋永不衰。雍朝製瓷，多鑒明瓷式
and embodies the elegant style characteristic of the period. 樣，結合本朝燒瓷工藝及世宗高逸品味，故佳器屢
Finding inspiration from Ming ceramics and combining this 出，既有獨創新例，亦不乏典雅臻作。此外，器俱反
with the developments in porcelain production and the 映時人飲食習慣，例如本瓶，則與儲茶及品茗相關。
Emperor’s aesthetic preferences led to high-quality wares
that were both inventive and classic. Furthermore, such
vessels reveal the drinking and eating habits of its time: in 明朝洪武二十四年（1391年），太祖下詔罷造福建建
this case the storage and consumption of tea. 安團餅貢茶，乃中國茶史上重大變革。太祖亦明令禁
止製作團茶，並改用茶葉而非茶粉，自此茶器亦隨之
During the Ming dynasty, a revolution in the history of tea
in China occurred when the production of caked tea was 而變。新式茶具，如茶壺及茶罐，取代茶碾、茶羅、
prohibited and the use of powered tea was replaced by 竹茶筅、茶匙等傳統茶器。清代品茶習俗大體承襲明
tea leaves. As a result, new tea utensils for steeping tea, 朝，茶器變化無多，但康雍乾三朝瓷業大興，以致茶
such as teapots and tea caddies, replaced the traditional 具造型屢有創新。
grinder, sieve, bamboo brush and ladles. Many of the
Ming tea traditions were continued in the Qing dynasty 茶葉罐器形眾多，多取材自明初款式，本品屬大例。
and while the actual utensils did not change drastically, a 本瓶集永宣兩窰典風，寫生壽桃、石榴、荔枝折枝果
greater assortment of shapes and designs evolved with the 紋共三組，果實飽滿，枝葉繁茂，寓意三多。參考其
flourishing porcelain production of the Kangxi, Yongzheng 他尺寸稍大之蓋罐，其一寶蓄台北故宮博物院，展
and Qianlong reigns.
於《也可以清心：茶器．茶事．茶畫》，台北，2002
Tea caddies for storing tea leaves were produced in a 年，編號121，圖錄例作茶罐；另見北京故宮博物院
number of forms, the present being one of the largest 藏一例，錄於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品大系．青花釉
types, and invariably inspired by early-Ming examples. The
present jar is decorated with the sanduo, namely the peach, 裏紅（下）》，上海，2000年，圖版104。兩例不論
pomegranate and lychee, in imitation of early fifteenth 造型與紋飾，均與本品同出一轍。
century blue and white porcelain. Closely related Yongzheng
examples of slightly larger size, and with their original covers,
include one in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, included
in the Museum’s exhibition Empty Vessels, Replenished
Minds: The Culture, Practice and Art of Tea, Taipei, 2002, cat.
no. 121, where it is catalogued as a tea caddy; and another
in the Palace Museum, Beijing, published in The Complete
Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Blue and
White Porcelain with Underglazed Red (III), Shanghai, 2000,
pl. 104. The potting of the vessels and painterly style of the
decoration on the aforementioned examples are particularly
reminiscent to the present piece.

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