Page 50 - Important Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, Hong Kong

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PROPERTY FROM THE HAOXIXUETANG COLLECTION

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A VERY RARE AND FINE SET OF 清乾隆三十年 御製棉花圖詩墨上函一套八錠
來源
IMPERIAL‘COTTON MANUFACTURE’ INK CAKES 2001 年購於東京

DATED BY INSCRIPTION TO 30TH YEAR OF QIANLONG, 乾隆皇帝曾六次到五台山禮佛，每次都經河北保定回都。乾隆二十六年，
他由五台山返回時，受直隸總督方觀承之邀，視察保定腰山王家的棉花
CORRESPONDING TO 1765 AND OF THE PERIOD 作坊。方觀承對棉花產業的推廣不遺餘力，而乾隆也對作坊留下深刻印
象。方觀承決定以此次視察為背景，訂製一套棉花圖，用作推廣棉花產
Comprising eight ink cakes, each is crisply and intricately moulded 業的工具。這套棉花圖於乾隆三十年完成，一套 16 幅圖，生動描繪出
on one side with a pictorial depiction below two gilt characters, 棉花生產的各個流程，並附上詳細解說。乾隆見到後非常喜愛，為這 16
and on the other side with a gilt poetic inscription followed by a 幅圖分別題詩，並命造辦處如意館依圖文改製墨模，發送至安徽胡開文
commentary in minute characters, all enclosed in a gilt key-fret 作坊製成御墨。這套御墨製作精細，為御墨中難得的珍品，其人物表情
border. The ink cakes are fitted inside a black lacquer box lined 生動，毫髮分明，可見模製技術之高。本套御墨品相完好，連同黃絹題
with yellow silk, and accompanied by a yellow-silk dust cover 首一併保存，非常難得。
printed in black ink with the date and contents. The lacquer cover 北京故宮博物院藏有一套相似的御墨，著錄於《中國文房四寶全集：墨》，
is decorated in gold, silver and red lacquer with two five-clawed 第 1 冊，北京，2007 年，164 頁，編號 167（圖一）。
dragons flanking the title inlaid in mother of pearl.
11 º x 8 Ω in. (28.5 x 22 cm.), Japanese wood box fig. 1 Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing
圖一 北京故宮博物院藏品
HK$500,000-700,000 US$65,000-91,000

PROVENANCE

Acquired in Tokyo in 2001

The Qianlong Emperor made six trips to Mt. Wutai during his lifetime,
and each time he returned via Baoding in Hebei province. On one
such trip in the 26th year (1761), he visited the cotton farm ran by
the Wang Family near Baoding at the invitation of the Zhili governor
Fang Guancheng (1698-1768). Fang was a great proponent of the
cotton industry, and this visit greatly impressed the emperor. As a
way to advance his cause, Fang decided to commission pictorial
representations of the cotton production process in woodblock print
form. This was duly finished in the 30th year (1765), and 16 illustrations
together with text commentaries were presented to the Qianlong
Emperor. The emperor was delighted and moved to compose a poem
to accompany each illustration. These illustrations, together with
the text and poems were then adapted as ink moulds in the Palace
workshop, and produced as ink cakes by the workshop of master
maker Hu Kaiwen in Anhui. These inks are some of the finest examples
of Imperial ink making, where details as fine as people’s faces and hair
are clearly visible. The current set is in beautiful condition, and even
retains the yellow silk dust cover, showing the original packaging.

Compare an identical set of ink cakes from the Qing Court Collection
in the Beijing Palace Museum, illustrated in Zhongguo wenfang sibao
quanji: Mo, vol. 1, Beijing, 2007, p.164, no. 167. (fig. 1)

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