Page 89 - 2019 October Important Chinese Art Sotheby's Hong Kong

This dish is outstanding for its intricately rendered scene 本品巧飾童子紋，繚繞池蓮花葉。紋飾深淺清晰分
of a boy seamlessly flying through lotus flowers and leaves. 明，花葉形態自然，童子五官與衣衫鉅細靡遺，難
The depth and clarity of the design, from the naturalistic 得罕見。如此精巧構圖之盤均為模製，北宋十一世紀
modelling of the flowers and leaves to the detailed rendering 末或十二世紀初，定窰始採模印之法，令圖紋更為細
of the boy’s features and his clothing, makes this dish 緻。此類模具與銅器鑄模相類，兩者國案也有接近之
particularly special and rare. Dishes with such sophisticated
designs were made using a mould, a technique that began to 處。雖尚沒有發現飾紋與此相同之銅盤，但吉林長春
be used at the Ding kilns in the late 11th or early 12th century 出土一面銅鏡，上飾童子繞藤圖，可資參考，現藏吉
and one that allowed for greater precision. These moulds 林省博物院，圖載於《中國青銅器全集》，卷16，北
were similar to those used for casting metal vessels, and 京，1998年，圖版195。
indeed many designs on moulded Dingyao are also found on
contemporary metalware. While no metal counterpart of this 持蓮童子紋，屬宋代典型飾樣，見飾於各類器物，
exact design appears to be known, a bronze mirror with boys 形形色色，如銀器、青銅、織品與各類瓷器。Ann
flying through scrolling vines, unearthed in Changchun, Jilin Barrott Wicks 在《Children in Chinese Art》（檀香
province, now in the Jilin Provincial Museum, Changchun,
is illustrated in Zhongguo qingtongqi quanji [Complete 山，2002年，頁6-15）中追溯此紋飾之源，認為始於
collection of Chinese archaic bronzes], vol. 16, Beijing, 1998, 羅馬帝國，尤見於小男童天使像，小天使後與基督教
pl. 195. 藝術中的天國意境息息相關。此類圖像被引入薩珊王
朝與中亞藝術，再經絲綢之路進中土。例見山西大同
Depictions of boys with lotus leaves and flowers represent
a classic motif of the Song dynasty, known on a variety of 出土銅鎏金盃，應自中亞進口，傳為公元五世紀製，
objects and media including silver, bronze textile and various 圖載於羅森，《Chinese Ornament. The Lotus and The
types of ceramics. Ann Barrott Wicks in Children in Chinese Dragon》，倫敦，1984年，圖15。
Art, Honolulu, 2002, pp. 6-15, traces the origins of this motif
back to the decorative arts of the Roman Empire, and in 童子圖隨即融入中國三教紋樣，至唐代發展成多子多
particular to depictions of putti, plump boys that later came 孫之象徵。釋曰彌勒淨土之靈，乃經蓮萼輪迴轉世。
to be associated with paradise in Christian art. These designs 此論或受道教上清派與投胎重生之說影響。公元八世
were adopted in Sasanian and Central Asian art and were 紀，持蓮童子最先見於非宗教畫像，至宋代有連生貴
brought to China through the Silk Road. See for example
a gilt-bronze cup, supposedly imported from Central Asia 子、傳宗接代之意。
and attributed to the 5th century AD, unearthed in Datong,
Shanxi province, and illustrated in Jessica Rawson, Chinese 模印如此生動細膩之定窰圓盤，實為罕見。台北故
Ornament. The Lotus and The Dragon, London, 1984, fig. 15. 宮博物院藏兩件定模印嬰戲圖盌，繞飾藤蔓，收錄
於該院之《定窰白瓷特展圖錄》，台北，1987年，編
The motif was quickly adapted to suit Chinese religious
and philosophical beliefs, and by the Tang dynasty (618- 號65-66。倫敦大英博物館 H.J. Oppenheim 舊藏且有
907) it had developed into a fertility symbol. In Chinese 一例，圖載於《東洋陶磁大觀》，卷5，東京，1981
Buddhism the souls of those residing in Maitreya’s Pure 年，圖版61。卡爾肯普博士舊藏還有盌，圖載於 Bo
Land, were believed to have been reborn through the calyx Gyllensvärd，前述出處，圖版457，2008年5月14日售
of a lotus flower. This theory may well have been influenced 於倫敦蘇富比，編號264。
by the Shangqing school of Daoism and the belief that the
visualisation of one’s embryonic state could lead to rebirth.
In the eight century, depictions of boys and lotus began to
appear outside religious contexts, and by the Song period
they were believed to encourage the birth of sons and the
continuation of a family line.
Dingyao dishes of this form and moulded with such lively and
detailed motifs are rare. Two Dingyao bowls moulded with
boys among scrolling vines, in the National Palace Museum,
Taipei, were included in the Museum’s Special Exhibition of
Ting Ware White Porcelain, Taipei, 1987, cat. nos 65 and 66;
another from the collection of H.J. Oppenheim, in the British
Museum, London, is illustrated in Oriental Ceramics. The
World’s Great Collections, vol. 5, Tokyo, 1981, pl. 61; and a
fourth bowl also from the Carl Kempe collection, illustrated
in Bo Gyllensvärd, op.cit., pl. 457, was sold in our London
rooms, 14th May 2008, lot 264.

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