Page 193 - Important Chinese Art Hong Kong Sotheby's April 2017

This superbly carved brushpot epitomises the dexterity of jade 筆筒白玉質，通景雕嶙峋山石，小橋下溪水淙淙，松桐映
carvers of the 18th century, who were able to envisage the final 掩，蒼松下水榭依山而建，高仕憑欄獨坐，觀看溪邊滌硯
piece to incorporate skilfully the natural features of the stone 侍童，意境嫺靜祥和，猶如畫卷，賞心悅目。工匠技法嫺
in the overall composition. Carved from a luminous stone of 熟，運刀如筆，方折遒勁。紋飾佈局層次豐富，繁而不
even colour to depict a scholar and his attendant in a luminous 亂，盡顯工匠之鬼斧神功，為當朝琢玉工藝發展到頂峰
landscape setting, the scene is exceptionally carved in varying 之佐證。
levels of depth. A sense of naturalism and movement is
achieved through the carefully observed details, captured in 此類筆筒以文人繪畫底稿為藍圖，以畫卷形式通景展現在
the expertly rendered various textures of the flowing water 玉雕筆筒上。他不但是文人書案上之用具，更是文人以崇
against the bridge, and the meticulous modelling of the figures’ 尚和追求美玉來抒發閒情逸致的象徵。宋代詩人魏野有詩
facial features and garments. 曰：「洗硯魚吞墨，烹茶鶴避煙」，道盡了古人的閑情雅
致，洗硯、烹茶、觀魚、賞鶴是文人們隱逸志趣的寫照。
Jade brushpots of this type were inspired by Chinese painting, 此器飾高仕，獨自在水榭端坐，看著侍童洗硯，同類畫意
where the surface was treated as a horizontal scroll and the 多見於宋及以後各朝，表示當時文人雅士向往幽居、閒散
scene unfolding with every turn of the vessel. These brushpots 安逸生活。例見明蕭雲從〈洗硯圖〉軸，售於香港佳士得
were suitable accoutrements for the scholar’s desk, where 2007年11月26日，編號935。
they served not only as utilitarian vessels but also as vehicles
of escape and reflection through their carved subject. The 天津博物館藏一例，筆筒樣式相仿，下承如意足，載於《
present piece affords a particularly intimate view of a lone 天津博物館藏玉》，北京，2012年，圖版188。另一例曾
scholar appreciating the landscape from a raised pavilion, a 展於《玉緣．德安堂藏玉展》，故宮博物院，北京，2004
subject that was popular in paintings from the Song dynasty 年，編號 14，先後售於香港蘇富比1976年12月2日，編號
onwards as it expressed the desire to live a simple life away 731及香港佳士得2002年4月29日，編號557。香港蘇富比
from the pressures of officialdom. The Song dynasty poet 另售二例，分別於1992年10月28日，編號598和1993年
Wei Ye (960-1020) once wrote, “I find pleasure in inkstone 10月27日，編號442，後者尺寸稍大。另有一稍大之例，
washing, calligraphy writing and fish keeping, and take 原屬 Heber R. Bishop 舊藏，售於紐約蘇富比2009年9月
delight in tea brewing and bird watching”, which provided 16日，編號251。
an apt portrayal of the joy in quiet retreat for contemporary
scholars. The scene depicted on the present brushpot is Xiyan
Tu (Inkstone washing). Since its first appearance in painting
during the Song dynasty, the subject was popularised by
various artists in the Ming and Qing dynasties. A similar scene
painted by the Ming dynasty painter Xiao Yuncong (1596-1673)
was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 26th November 2007, lot
935.

Brushpots carved in a similar style and supported on bracket
feet include one in the Tianjin Museum, Tianjin, illustrated in
Jade Wares Collected by Tianjin Museum, Beijing, 2012, pl.
188; another from the De An Tang Collection, included in the
exhibition A Romance with Jade, Palace Museum, Beijing,
2004, cat. no. 14, and sold in these rooms, 2nd December
1976, lot 731, and again at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29th April
2002, lot 557; two sold in these rooms, the first, 28th October
1992, lot 598, and the second of slightly larger size, 27th
October 1993, lot 442; and another slightly larger brushpot,
from the collection of Heber R. Bishop, sold in our New York
rooms, 16th September 2009, lot 251.

IMPORTANT CHINESE ART 191