Page 74 - 2019 October Important Chinese Art Sotheby's Hong Kong

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PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN 明洪武 釉裏紅纏枝牡丹紋玉壺春瓶
A RARE COPPER-RED ‘PEONY’ VASE,
YUHUCHUNPING
MING DYNASTY, HONGWU PERIOD
of elegant classic pear shape supported on a short foot rising
to a generous rounded body surmounted by a waisted neck
flaring at the mouth, painted in copper red with a broad band
of undulating stems of peony bearing four large blooms
alternatively depicted in profile and full-faced, the flowers
crowned by characteristically large and pointed foliage,
each arched stem ending in a small subsidiary blossom, all
between upright lappets at the base and a collar of trefoil
pendants dangling from a band of lingzhi scrolls, all beneath
a band of overlapping waves, a keyfret border, and upright
plantain leaves at the neck, the inner mouthrim painted with
classic scroll
32.7 cm, 12⅞ in.

HK$ 600,000-800,000
US$ 76,500-102,000

Freely painted with a rhythmic peony scroll and bands of 本瓶纏枝牡丹紋飾風格靈動自然，乃十四世紀釉裏紅
stylised motifs, the present piece is a rare and excellent 瓷器難得佳例。銅紅窰燒不穩，易見釉面流敞、紋飾
example of 14th century red-decorated porcelain. Copper 線條模糊、或釉色黯淡。此瓶發色紅艷，紋飾清晰，
as a colouring agent is particularly unstable in the firing 實屬正色佳品，展現藝匠巧工。
process, thus it carries a high possibility of becoming runny
and leaving indistinct outlines or resulting in weak shades
of red and pale grey tones. The strong copper tones and 比較一例，清宮舊藏，現存於北京故宮博物院，載於
clearly-pencilled designs of this vase sets it apart as a highly 《故宮博物院藏文物珍品大系．青花釉裏紅》，卷1
successful and skilfully manufactured piece. ，上海，2000年，圖版197；另一例現藏於東京國立
A closely related example from the Qing court collection in 博物館，刊於《東洋陶磁大観》，卷1，東京，1982
the Palace Museum, Beijing, is published in The Complete 年，圖版112。比較數例，瓶頸紋飾各異，其一現存
Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Blue and 北京故宮博物院，出處同上，圖版196；另一例出自
White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (III), Shanghai, 2000, pl. 迦納爵士故藏，1961年11月21日售於倫敦蘇富比，編
197; and another in the Tokyo National Museum is illustrated 號24； 相類四例刊於《龍泉集芳 : 創業七十周年記
in Oriental Ceramics. The World’s Great Collections, vol. 1, 念》，東京，1971年，圖版721-4；紐約蘇富比亦售
Tokyo, 1982, pl. 112. Compare also vases decorated with 一例，2005年3月31日，編號 102。
various bands of decoration on the neck, such as one in the
Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated op. cit., pl. 196; another 明洪武釉裏紅瓷，極少出土於江西景德鎮御窰遺址，
from the collection of Sir Harry Garner, sold in our London
rooms, 21st November 1961, lot 24; four bottles of this type 然而景德鎮珠山卻曾出土牡丹、回紋、卷草及花瓣紋
published in Mayuyama: Seventy Years, Tokyo, 1976, pls 721- 飾洪武釉裏紅盌，曾展於《景德鎮出土明初官窰瓷
4; and another example sold in our New York rooms, 31st 器》，鴻禧美術館，台北，1996年，編號7-10。
March 2005, lot 102.
Very little underglaze-red decorated Hongwu porcelain
appears to have been excavated from the imperial kiln site
at Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province. However, the peony scroll,
keyfret, classic scroll and petal panel borders are all found on
copper-red painted bowls attributed to the Hongwu period,
excavated from the Zhushan site in Jingdezhen and included
in the exhibition Imperial Hongwu and Yongle Porcelain
Excavated at Jingdezhen, Chang Foundation, Taipei, 1996,
cat. nos 7-10.

72 SOTHEBY ’S IMPORTANT CHINESE ART