Page 68 - Christie's Fine Chiense Works of Art November 2018 London

lifetime he served as abbot of three diferent monasteries, p. 415, no. 843). The iron-red painting on this bowl more
the last of which was the Yunju Monastery. In one of his closely resembles that on the current teapot than does most
writings Master Dao Qi notes: ‘Cloud Dwelling [mountain] other Kangxi enamel painting.
is lofty and steep; Lions makes it their abode.’ The ‘lions’ An earlier, less delicate, version of the distinctive waisted
were a reference to high ranking members of the sangha form of peony blossom seen on the current teapot can
(religious community) known for their great virtue. The be found on a number of Kangxi porcelains, including
Ming dynasty literatus Dong Qichang 董其昌 (1555-1636), a wucai phoenix-tail vase in the collection of the Palace
who also had links with Chan Buddhism, is believed to Museum, Beijing (illustrated in Porcelains in Polychrome
have added an inscription to the exterior of one of the nine and Contrasting Colours, 38, The Complete Collection of
rock caves on Stone Sutra Mountain (Shijingshan 石經山) Treasures of the Palace Museum, op. cit., p. 137, no. 125), and
near Cloud Dwelling Monastery during an excursion to the on a large handsome Kangxi dish in the Baur Collection,
area with other luminaries in AD 1631. The only recorded Geneva (illustrated by John Ayers in Chinese Ceramics in
artist who appears to have taken a name related to Cloud the Baur Collection, volume 2, Geneva, 1999, p. 30-31, no.
Dwelling is the court artist Zheng Zhaofu 鄭昭甫, who was 155). The fact that this form is generally associated with the
active during the early Ming dynasty Hongwu reign (1368- Kangxi reign, albeit in a less delicate form, provides another
98), and who called himself Yunju shanren (雲居山人 Hermit reason to date the current teapot to the early years of the
of Cloud Dwelling). Further research may help to clarify Yongzheng reign.
the intended reference of the Yunju seal. As the teapot is The delicate black speckles under a pale green enamel
decorated in a manner closely associated with ink painting which surround and enhance the magnolia branches on
and calligraphy, the reference is most likely to be an artistic the current teapot are reminiscent of the use of a similar
or literary one.
decorative device, which appears regularly on fne Kangxi
It is interesting to note the links to and subtle developments famille verte porcelains but can also be seen around the
from Kangxi style on this early Yongzheng teapot. The magnolia branches on a vase with six-character Yongzheng
painting style of the overglaze iron-red areas of the underglaze blue mark, decorated in fne famille verte
decoration have great delicacy and the use of a fne brush enamels in the collection of Sir Percival David (illustrated
can be seen. The style is in contrast to the normal Kangxi by Rosemary Scott in Elegant Form and Harmonious
use of iron-red. However, a move towards a greater delicacy Decoration – Four Dynasties of Jingdezhen Porcelain,
in the painting of small blossoms using overglaze iron-red London, 1992, p. 136, no. 154 – see right-hand image).
enamel can be seen on an elegant famille verte bowl in
This rare teapot from the collection of one of the great
the collection of the Shanghai Museum, which does not
British scholars of Chinese art, Soame Jenyns, is an elegant
bear a reign mark but has been dated by the museum to
and fascinating tribute to the skills of porcelain decorators
the Kangxi reign (illustrated in Zhongguo wenwu jinghua
employing famille verte enamels at the imperial kilns in the
daquan, Taoci juan 中國文物精華大全－－陶瓷卷, Taipei, 1993,
early Yongzheng reign.

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