Page 23 - Sothebys HK Dragon Emperor April 2024

Conjoined vases of this charming and unusual form 此類四連瓶器形別緻，悅目賞心，為雍正朝首創；塑
were an innovation of the Yongzheng reign, and the 胎、燒窰皆不遺餘力，唯求再現宋代官釉瑩如凝脂之
present vessel, which echoes the unctuous glazes of the 態。此四連瓶佈局得當，罩釉勻實，可見巧匠心裁獨到
finest Song dynasty prototypes, would have required 且技藝純熟，賦古韻予新器，尤合雍正帝精嚴之治、好
the craftsmen's utmost attention in potting and firing.
Remarkable in its well-proportioned form and even 古之心。
luminous glaze, the vase attests to the ingenuity in
utilising historical precedents in the creation of new 青釉淡淨如水，早見於明代永樂一朝，而至康熙年間，
works that met the Yongzheng Emperor's exacting 工匠取宋明兩朝之菁華，以宋代龍泉釉藥配方為範，篩
standards for quality and reverence of China's glorious 減其釉方含鐵量，成功燒出如本品般瑩潤婉約之釉色。
heritage. 雍正一朝慕而傚之者猶如百花齊放。即位之初，雍正命
宮廷作坊依皇家珍藏宋代名品產燒新瓷，無論質、形、
While delicate, almost watery, celadon glazes had 紋飾等，均以宋器為典範。1735年，景德鎮督陶官唐英
already been created in the Yongle period, this pale green 集成《陶成紀事碑記》，載述試燒青釉若干種，詳見卜
tone, achieved by lessening the amount of iron typically
found on Song dynasty Longquan celadons, began to 士禮，《Oriental Ceramic Art. Illustrated by Examples
be produced in the Kangxi reign. During the Yongzheng from the Collection of W.T. Walters》，紐約，1896
period, the production of wares greatly expanded. From 年，倫敦，1981年再版，頁197。
the first years of his reign, the Yongzheng Emperor
commissioned works from the Palace Workshops 可比一例，形制相同，藏北京故宮博物院，錄《清代
inspired by treasured Song dynasty antecedents held 御窰瓷器》，卷1，北京，2005年，圖版149；另比兩
in the imperial collection. These antiques were used 件，售於香港蘇富比，其一，1985年5月24日，編號
as standards for quality, models for archaistic designs 503，其二，2020年10月9日，編號22；仍有一件，
and as inspirations for innovation. In 1735, Tang Ying, 瓊肯三世舊藏，售於紐約蘇富比2019年3月20日，編號
the celebrated superintendent of the imperial kilns 518。
at Jingdezhen, composed the Taocheng jishi bei ji
[Commemorative stele on ceramic production], in which 雍正年款四連瓶亦有施其他單色釉者，如一例，施仿汝
several varieties of celadon glazes were recorded to
have been experimented with at the time (see Stephen 釉，藏台北故宮博物院，展於《清代單色釉瓷器》，台
W. Bushell, Oriental Ceramic Art. Illustrated by Examples 北，1981年，編號77；胡惠春舊藏一例，施冬青釉，
from the Collection of W.T. Walters, New York, 1896; 售於紐約蘇富比1985年6月4日，編號40；及一例略
reprint London, 1981, p. 197). 小，施茶葉末釉，售於紐約蘇富比2018年3月21日，
編號536。
A similar vase of this type in the Palace Museum,
Beijing, is illustrated in Qingdai yuyao ciqi [Qing imperial
porcelains], vol. 1, Beijing, 2005, pl. 149; two were sold in
these rooms, the first, 24th May 1985, lot 503, and the
second, 9th October 2020, lot 22; and another was sold
in our New York rooms, 20th March 2019, lot 518, from
the collection of Stephen Junkunc III.
Vases of this form with Yongzheng marks and of
the period, are also known to be covered in other
monochrome glazes: see an example with a Ru-type
glaze, in the Palace Museum, Taipei, included in the
museum's exhibition Qing Monochrome Porcelain, Taipei,
1981, cat. no. 77; a celadon-glazed example from the
J.M. Hu Collection, sold in our New York rooms, 4th June
1985, lot 40; and a slightly smaller version covered
in a teadust glaze, also sold in our New York rooms,
21st March 2018, lot 536.

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