Page 105 - 2019 October Important Chinese Art Sotheby's Hong Kong

The current vase, with its outstanding crackled ge-type glaze 仿哥釉雙龍耳扁瓶，釉色瑩潔，片紋密織，造形端
and well-proportioned form, is an exceptional example of 秀，富麗典雅，不僅彰顯乾隆帝尚古之情，尤珍宋代
not only the Qianlong Emperor’s predilection for celebrated 名瓷與明永宣御瓷，且印證清代景德鎮御窰廠督陶官
wares of the past – in particular the imperial wares of the
Song (960-1279) dynasty and the Yongle – Xuande reigns 唐英（1682-1756年）領導之下，製瓷技術之突飛猛
(1403-1435) of the Ming dynasty – but also the technical 進，汲古創新，以迎合君主的高度審美要求。
developments in ceramic production as well as the creativity
and level of innovation of the craftsmen working under the 此瓶釉潤均勻，通器遍佈「金絲鐵線」開片紋，細緻
supervision of Tang Ying (1682-1756), Superintendent of the 動人，別具生趣，清代仿哥釉瓷傚擬宋元哥窰，開片
Imperial kilns in Jingdezhen. Under the rigorous standards 紋加以染色，襯托青瓷釉色，更顯對比強烈。無釉
that the Emperor upheld, craftsmen were prompted to 處亦施黑褐色護胎汁，如本器圈足，以類哥窰「鐵
search for and realise ever new designs that enabled them to 足」特徵。
showcase their technical proficiency and ability to hark back
to antiquity. 扁瓶器形源自高古青銅器，龍形雙耳更顯瓷工巧能，
取材春秋晚期青銅器，如台北故宮博物院藏二例，刊
Superbly decorated with an even glaze marked with an
attractive matrix of ‘iron-wire’ and golden crackles, the 於《商周青銅酒器特展圖錄》，台北，1989年，圖版
present vase belongs to a group of vessels inspired by the 69及70。
celebrated ge wares of the Song and Yuan (1279-1368)
dynasties. In addition to the crackles, which were often 類同作例珍稀罕有，拍賣會僅見二例，其一售於
stained to enhance their prominence, these archaistic 香港蘇富比1978年11月28日，編號201，後錄於《A
vessels were often dressed on the unglazed bodies with a Selection of Ming and Qing Porcelains》，埃斯卡納齊，
dark brown slip, as seen on the footring of the present vase, 倫敦，2004年，編號17；另一例售於香港佳士得2006
to simulate the so-called ‘iron foot’ characteristic of the 年5月30日，編號1365。
stoneware prototypes.
參考一件仿官釉類同作例，尺寸較小，瓶底鐫刻乾隆
The form of the vase also reflects elements borrowed from
archaic bronze vessels and this is particularly evident in 皇帝御製詩〈詠雙耳官窰瓶〉，錄於《得佳趣：乾隆
the skilful incorporation of the stylised dragon handles. 皇帝的陶瓷品味》，台北，2012年，編號76。
With their heads sharply turned backwards, they evoke late
Spring and Autumn period vessels, including two illustrated 並參考本次拍賣明代仿哥釉雙耳葫蘆扁壺，拍品編
in Special Exhibition of Shang and Chou Dynasty Bronze Wine 號3615。
Vessels, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1989, pls 69 and
70.
The current vase is very rare and only two closely related
examples appear to have been sold at auction, the first
sold in these rooms, 28th November 1978, lot 201, and
later included in A Selection of Ming and Qing Porcelains,
Eskenazi Ltd, London, 2004, cat. no. 17; and the other sold at
Christie’s Hong Kong, 30th May 2006, lot 1365.
For a related, albeit smaller, guan-type vessel, demonstrating
the Qianlong Emperor’s fascination with the past, see one
similarly modelled with a quatrelobed body but bearing an
underglaze-blue Qianlong imperial inscription eulogising
the handled guan-type vase, published in Obtaining Refined
Enjoyment: The Qianlong Emperor’s Taste in Ceramics,
National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2011, cat. no. 76.
See also a Ming dynasty ge-type moonflask offered in this
sale, lot 3615.

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