Page 161 - Important Chinese Art Hong Kong April 2, 2019 Sotheby's

This rare piece belongs to a special group of porcelain wares 乾隆年間，高宗對瓷器燒製要求嚴格，喜博古雅器，
made under the direction of the Qianlong Emperor that 多取材高古青銅器型，揉合當代元素，古為今用，本
combined contemporary elements with forms inspired by 盉正為一例。器型以周朝青銅盉為雛本，番蓮托八吉
archaic bronzes. Its form is modelled after archaic bronze
ritual vessels, he, made during the Zhou dynasty, while the 祥紋則可溯源宮廷佛教影響。藝匠取青銅古器器型製
motif of lotus and the Eight Treasures (bajixiang) hints at the 成瓷器，同時揉合多個傳統紋飾元素，展現巧思。
increasing influence of Buddhism at court. The exceptional
talent of the potters is evident not only in the successful 青銅盉以新石器時代陶器原型為雛本，相信乃商周盛
transformation of a bronze form into porcelain, but also in 酒器。盉於清朝頗有復興之勢，王國維（1877-1927
their ability to combine decorative elements from different 年）著《說盉》曰：「盉之為用，在受尊中之酒與玄
traditions. 酒（即清水）而和之而注之於爵。」瓷盉似為十八世
Originally inspired by pottery prototypes from the Neolithic 紀發明，據宮廷紀錄，宮廷作坊首於乾隆三年（1738
period, bronze vessels of this form are believed to have 年）奉命製作瓷盉。
been originally used as wine ewers or pitchers in the Shang
and Zhou dynasty. Their function was somewhat revived in 此器器型獨特，可比較數例，見於各大私人收藏及博
the Qing dynasty, as attested by Wang Guowei (1877-1927) 物館，台北故宮博物院現藏一例，曾展於《清康雍乾
in his ‘shuo he’ (On the he) from 1915, where he mentions 名瓷》，1986年，編號71。另一例天津市藝術博物館
that at banquets, those that could not tolerate drinking too
much wine were offered a weaker version diluted with water 收藏，載於《天津市藝術博物館藏瓷》，天津，1993
poured from a he. Porcelain he appear to have been an 18th 年，圖版166。再比較一例，英女皇御藏，圖載於約
century innovation, and according to Palace documents, the 翰．艾爾斯，《Chinese and Japanese Works of Art》，
first order for these vessels took place in the 3rd year of the 倫敦，2016年，卷1，圖版424，同書並載一例，署有
Qianlong reign. 嘉慶年款，圖版425。此外尚有一例，出自 Eva Lande
Ewers of this unusual form are found in important private 及 Julius Morgenroth 收藏，售於紐約蘇富比2009年3月
and museum collections; one in the National Palace 17日，編號122。還有一例，尺寸較小，無蓋，曾展
Museum, Taipei, was included in the Museum’s exhibition 於《御瓷遺珍：杭州土火齋古陶瓷博物館藏清代官窰
K’ang-Hsi, Yung-Cheng and Ch’ien-Lung Porcelain Ware 瓷器》，浙江省博物館，杭州，2011年，編號100。
from the Ch’ing Dynasty in the National Palace Museum,
Taipei, 1986, cat. no. 71; another in the Tianjin Municipal
Museum is illustrated in Tianjin Shi Yishu Bowuguan cang
ci [Porcelains from the Tianjin Municipal Museum], Tianjin,
1993, pl. 166; and a third in the collection of Her Majesty the
Queen is illustrated in John Ayers, Chinese and Japanese
Works of Art, London, 2016, vol. 1, pl. 424, together with
a Jiaqing mark and period example, pl. 425. See also one
from the collections of Eva Lande and Julius Morgenroth,
sold in our New York rooms, 17th March 2009, lot 122; and
a slightly smaller example also lacking the cover included in
the exhibition Treasures of Imperial Porcelain. Official Kiln
Porcelain of the Qing Dynasty Collected by Hangzhou Tu Huo
Zhai Museum of Antique Ceramics, Hangzhou, 2011, pl. 100.

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