Page 113 - Important Chinese Art Hong Kong Sotheby's April 2017

This magnificent dragon vase, superbly potted shape, similarly decorated with a broad band of 龍紋長頸瓶，瓶腹飽滿，器頸轉折柔潤修長，
with an ovoid body gently rising to a tall slender underglaze-red dragons amongst a cobalt-blue 繪五爪飛龍，氣勢萬千，穿梭繁花折枝地，器
neck, skilfully painted with forceful five-clawed floral ground between ruyi and lappet borders 形碩大無比，將乾隆帝的思古之情，華麗雄渾
dragons soaring through a dense network of and stiff leaves around the neck, in the Palace 之品味，納於一身。游龍穿花，躍於瓷上，源
floral scrolls, is outstanding for its large size and Museum, Beijing, is published in The Complete 於十五世紀青花瓷，雍正一朝始見復作，至乾
summarises the Qianlong Emperor’s admiration Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. 隆時期加以精製。龍紋乃中國瓷器及工藝品最
for antiquity and his taste for bold statement Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red 重要之紋飾，象徵帝王及皇權，此瓶鈷藍發色
pieces. It is notable for its dynamic design of (III), Hong Kong, 2000, pl. 209, together with a 濃豔，紋飾強而有力，以堆疊法畫製，仿傚早
dragons amongst floral scrolls, a motif that is Yongzheng baluster vase rendered with a related 明青花瓷深濃帶黑斑效果，反映出當時瓷匠的
known from 15th century blue and white wares motif of four dragons against a composite flower 高超技術。
and which was revived under the preceding scroll, pl. 89. For the Yongzheng prototype to this
Yongzheng Emperor and produced throughout vase, but of smaller size, see one sold in these 穿蓮龍紋可見於明永樂朝天球瓶，此時龍紋較
the Qing dynasty. The dragon is perhaps the most rooms, 7th April 2015, lot 108. 大，至正德朝，龍紋略小，與本品之飾相近，
important motif in the repertoire of the Chinese 纏枝花地則更為密緻，作於各式器形，包括瓷
potter and artist. It represents the Emperor and is This piece belongs to a special group of vases 瓶、盤、盌等，紋飾近類此瓶。長頸膽瓶，多
the symbol of imperial power. The effectiveness produced during the Qianlong period, with 施單色釉，但清代匠人取其器形，卻繪穿花
of the overall design of the present vase is also elongated tall neck and pear-shaped body. 龍紋，展時代之風。比較一永樂天球瓶，售於
due to the brilliant deep blue cobalt, which has Examples can be found in important museums 倫敦蘇富比1974年4月1/2日，編號187；另有
been applied to replicate the ‘heaping and piling’ and collections worldwide and each vase within 一件正德渣斗，錄於康蕊君，《玫茵堂中國陶
effect of early Ming underglaze-blue designs and the group appears to be uniquely decorated; 瓷》，倫敦，1994年，卷2，圖版686，售於
reflects the high level of technical achievement for example see one painted with figures in a 香港蘇富比，2011年4月7日，編號60。
attained by the craftsman. landscape, from the Qing court collection and
still in Beijing, illustrated ibid., pl. 119; another 此龍紋長頸膽瓶，紋飾濃麗，五龍遊戲纏枝卷
Large dragons depicted amongst lotus scrolls decorated with a composite floral motif sold in 花間，極為珍稀，未見他例有錄。一件同形瓶
are found on Yongle globular vases (tianqiuping). these rooms, 2nd May 1984; and a third example 例，繪釉裏紅龍紋，青花花卉紋地，綴如意蓮
By the Zhengde reign, the dragons were reduced adorned with a flower scroll design in the Ming 瓣紋，頸繪蕉葉紋，現藏北京故宮博物院，錄
in size and surrounded by a tighter ground of style, from the collection of Jolan Hennings, sold 於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集．青花釉裏
flower scrolls in a style more closely related to the at Christie’s New York, 9th November 1978, lot 紅（下）》，香港，2000年，圖版209，同錄
present decoration, with this motif decorating a 97, and again in these rooms, 25th November 另有一件雍正瓷罐，繪四龍於花卉紋間，圖版
range of wares including vases, dishes and bowls. 1981, lot 224. 89。見一雍正原型，器型稍小，售於香港蘇
The craftsman has achieved a contemporaneity 富比2015年4月7日，編號108。
on the present vase through the elegant pear Vessels of this form were also made covered in
shape which was more commonly employed for a monochrome glaze; for example see a large 本品屬乾隆年間燒製之瓶款，器身如梨，瓶頸
monochromes of the Qing dynasty. Compare a Qianlong flambé-glazed vase, in the Nanjing 修長，廣見於世界各地重要博物館及收藏，
Yongle tianqiuping sold in our London rooms, Museum, included in Zhongguo Qingdai guanyao 每款紋飾獨一無二。一瓶繪山水人物，清宮
1st/2nd April 1974, lot 187; and a Zhengde ciqi [Chinese imperial porcelains from the Qing 舊藏，存於北京故宮博物院，出處同上，圖
zhadou, illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese dynasty], Shanghai, 2003, p. 345; another in 版119。另一花卉紋款，兩度售於香港蘇富
Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, London the Palace Museum, Beijing, published in The 比，1978年11月9日，編號97及1981年11月
1994, vol. 2, pl. 686, and sold in these rooms, 7th Official Kiln Porcelain of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, 25日，編號224。
April 2011, lot 60. Shanghai, 2003, pl. 345; and a third flambé-
glazed vase decorated in gilt with a floral motif,
This exquisite dragon vase is extremely rare for from the Qing court collection, illustrated in
its slender form decorated with a striking deep Kangxi. Yongzheng. Qianlong. Qing Porcelain from
blue design of five dragons among a lotus flower the Palace Museum Collection, Hong Kong, 1989,
scroll. No other closely related example appears p. 393, pl. 74.
to have been published, although a vase of this

膽瓶器形雅麗，乾隆朝續燒而多作單色釉
瓷，如南京博物院藏一件大型窰變釉膽瓶，
載於《宮廷珍藏：中國清代官窰瓷器》，上
海，2003年，頁345；另見一例，北京故宮
博物院藏，載於《中國清代官窰瓷器》，上
海，2003年，圖版345；還有一件窰變釉瓶，
綴描金花卉紋，清宮舊藏，載於《故宮珍藏
康雍乾瓷器圖錄》，香港，1989年，頁393
，圖版74。

IMPORTANT CHINESE ART 111