Page 16 - Sothebys Important Chinese Art London May 2018
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IN PURSUIT OF LEGACIES:
A SUMPTUOUS QIANLONG MOONFLASK
ᅉ̚വശj
ڡڀᚂ،ᇳ७ᕐνจЀܯడ
Grand in stature and magniÞ cently decorated, the present ͉ۜҖႡܨ҃d७ུڥᘆdྼɗ৻ඤϋගϪГ౻ᅃᕄ
moonß ask represents the height of porcelain production at
the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province during the 㜺ႡନʈᖵᛁࢤԳԷfۃಃ௫Ъdԑ˸Ԉᗇʕሾ
Qianlong reign. It illustrates the Emperor’s pursuit of innovative ዝ̦d৻ඤ՟ՊޜۜኜҖ७ུd௴อӋᜊd̷
wares through highly original combinations of designs and ܠᄴ̈fႡЪɽۨନኜdϽӺନΘி༏dҦᖵჅ
forms inspired by historical masterpieces, which served as
a reminder of the nation’s glorious past. The production of ʔঐϓኜdνϤጲᖵdසԈڋ౻ᅃᕄຖௗ֜ࡥߵ
large vessels required the highest level of technical skill only ϋኆɨeϪГ౻ᅃᕄႡࡥ㜺fኽ
to be found amongst potters working in the imperial kilns at
Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, under the instructions of Tang Ꮶࣩ༱d৻ඤ࿂ϣፙϙࡥߵމՉतႡନኜdν͉ۜ
Ying (1682-1756), the preeminent and most accomplished ʘᗳԳኜdуᏐ༶Ͼ͛f
Superintendent at Jingdezhen during the early Qing period.
Imperial records reveal that the Qianlong Emperor habitually
asked Tang Ying to design special pieces for him, thus opening ࡥߵdɤʬ๋ৎԶᔖʫਕִdԫቮːํdၚʈ
avenues for such Þ ne wares to be created.
ႡኜdЀͦݑd༹ϓՉ˚ܝᔖຖௗ֜ࣛʘ
Tang Ying was employed by the Neiwufu [Imperial Household
Department] in the Forbidden City at the age of sixteen ᜳชݰ๕fའ͍ʬϋ ϋdࡥߵւն˸ʫਕִ
where he was trained in the arts of enamelling and painting ࡰ̮ࠛᔖმdຖଣ౻ᅃᕄ㜺ᅀɚɤቱ༱fࡥˤຖኬ
at the Enamelling Workshops located in the Yangxindian [Hall ɨd౻ᅃᕄନุה༺৷ࢤྼމۃה͊ԈdၲΤʕ̮f
of Mental Cultivation], within the Imperial Palace grounds.
He was exposed to the many beautiful artefacts from the ܯడdݴБɤʞ˰ߏڋdའ͍ϋග֠̚ጳସd˸ ࡥ
Imperial collection that became his inspiration for new and 㜺̈ۜˈމޜӼf ͉ۜΥ͑ᆀϋග
innovative shapes and designs later in his career. In 1728, he
was appointed commissioner (yuanwailang) by the Ministry ϋନኜՇɽ௴อतᅄ y ኜԒܯ̻eяҖdʕː
of Internal A' airs and was transferred to supervise ceramics කΈdකΈ̉ᔘd७ུՊඩdᖭᚂ،ᇳ७f ᔚ
production at Jingdezhen. Under his direction, that lasted
more than two decades, porcelain manufacture at Jingdezhen ᔛ̬Էའ͍ڡڀdତπ̏ԯ݂௹ي৫d༱݂
rose to unprecedented levels which had far reaching inß uence ௹ي৫ᔛ˖يޜۜΌණgڡڀཊ㛪ߎɪd࠰
on ceramics manufacture both in China and in the West.
ಥd ϋdྡو fᝈ͑ᆀࡡۨԷЪd̙ԈΝಂ
A popular form in the early Þ fteenth century, moonß asks ͺᚆږ᙮ʿޚᆨడԷʘᅂᚤfˢ༰ɓԷdᓙ˾ɤɧ
experienced renewed favour with Tang Ying under the
instruction of the Yongzheng Emperor (1723-35). The present ˰ߏʕ˲ˉʂɽાлԭზడdމശସ̿лဧߕஔ
moonß ask combines two innovations of Yongle period (1403- ϗᔛdኜҖڐdਿຖྡࣩeࣣجeОʿਗي
24) ceramics; its ß attened circular form with a raised medallion
and the elegant design of a dense foliate lotus scroll. Four ७ ུdడԒяҖdɓࠦ༰̻e̤ɓܹࠦdՉʕ
Yongle blue and white porcelain ß asks from the Qing Court ܹ ࠦʕː੭කΈʿ७ུf
collection, and still in Beijing, are illustrated in The Complete
Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Blue and White
with Underglaze Red (I), Hong Kong, 2000, pls 34-37. The νϤኜҖʿ७ུd͑ᆀϋගdစᜊЇའ͍ʿ৻
Yongle prototype reveals the inß uence of Islamic artefacts of ඤ ɚಃdಂගཀხఘբf͑ᆀܯడೌԑdడԒܯ
the time, such as metalwork or glass; for example there is a
slightly larger Syrian brass canteen, dating to the mid-13th ̻dɓࠦΈ९ೌཊdˀᝈಃନΘהႡܯడdۆ̙
century, in the collection of the Freer Gallery, Washington, Ό˙Зᝈሧdడ᎕ʥᔚᐑུ̉↉dਬˢԷһԈ߉̈d
which is of similar form. Interestingly the brass canteen is
decorated with Christian imagery as well as calligraphy, ७ུശᘆdడЀҖ࿒ᔮబdϾڢසމᐑҖడЀfνϤ
geometric designs and animal scrolls. The form of the Syrian ᜊʷdხୌΥಃఃฌᐿⰗʈᖵʘۜբfϾའ͍ಃԷ
canteen is, however, close to the Chinese porcelain example in
that it is circular, with a ß at back and domed front, and has a Ъۆ༰މўႅdʔ੭̉ৎʘකΈdᖭՊඩڀ؈७dɓ
decorative roundel in the centre of the domed surface. ڡڀԷಀॲߒᘽబˢ ϋ ˜ Ї ˚שርdᇜ
It is interesting to trace the development of this form and dܝ˓ॲߒԳɻ ϋ ˜ e ˚dᇜ
design from the Yongle period and in the Yongzheng and i̤ɓߎཊԷdତᔛ̏ԯ݂௹ي৫d༱
Qianlong reigns. While Yongle moonß asks were potted
without a foot and ß attened and left unglazed on one side, ݂௹ي৫ᔛ˖يޜۜΌණgڡڀཊ㛪ߎɨ d
14 SOTHEBY’S
