Page 8 - Chinese Ceramics the Linyushanren Collection Part 1 , Christie's

UNIQUE BEAUTY:
YONGZHENG SHUIMO FALANG
‘PRUNUS AND BAMBOO’ BOWL

眾芳搖落獨媗妍 ─ 雍正水墨琺瑯梅竹圖碗

A Yongzheng falangcai bowl must rank amongst the most 在瓷器收藏家的心目中，雍正琺瑯彩碗是可遇不可求的
coveted objects in the mind of a Chinese porcelain collector. 珍物。而在這些斑斕嬌豔的極品瓷器之中，有一品種如
Against the dazzling colours of these prestigious specimens 梅花犯寒而開，孤芳自立，別具風情，最為雋秀雅致─
one group in particular – like a prunus blossoming in winter 那便是清宮檔案中所記載的水墨琺瑯。水墨一詞本來專
– stands out as the most unique and elegant: those recorded 指以濃淡不一的墨色在紙或絹上作畫，只因白瓷畫上赭
in the Palace records as shuimo falang ( 水 墨 琺 瑯 , lit. ink- 色琺瑯，特具詩情畫意，故在此假借形容。琺瑯彩中的
wash enamel). Shuimo, a term traditionally associated with 上品，俗稱「古月軒」者，以結合詩、書、畫三絕而為
literati paintings that make use of black ink washes of varying 人稱道，而水墨琺瑯最能展現三絕合一的境界。雍正琺
degrees, was adapted in this instance to describe the painterly 瑯彩本屬鳳毛麟角，極少在拍賣場上出現，雍正水墨琺
effect on this group of white porcelain vessels decorated 瑯彩碗更是從未公開拍賣過，此碗的珍稀矜貴可想而
with sepia enamels. The finest falangcai vessels, the group 知。
later known as Guyuexuan, are famed for their combination
of ‘the three perfection’ – painting, poetry and calligraphy, 在雍正六年怡親王上表的琺瑯顏色清單上，已經包含黑
and none exemplifies this better than those painted in sepia 色及醬色，表示琺瑯工匠已經有能力製造水墨琺瑯。但
enamels, where the overall visual effect is akin to viewing an 是水墨琺瑯第一次出現在清檔中則是在雍正九年。造辦
ink painting. Not only have Yongzheng falangcai bowls been 處上呈的五十件琺瑯彩瓷器中，包含了一對水墨琺瑯墨
elusive on the market – there have been only a handful sold 竹碗。隔年的四月雍正皇帝表示了對這些赭墨琺瑯的興
publicly, no other shuimo falang bowls have ever appeared at 趣，進而諭示：
auction, making this exquisite bowl exceptionally rare and
desirable. … 再水墨琺瑯甚好，將畫畫人戴恒、湯振基伊二人
畫琺瑯活計。其進之畫持出。1
On the list of newly developed enamels submitted to the
Yongzheng emperor by Prince Yi in 1728, black and dark 在同年的八月，皇帝又重申他對這些赭墨琺瑯器的偏好：
brown 醬 色 enamels were both listed, indicating that the
artists in the imperial atelier already had the required material 中秋節呈進活計之內，琺瑯盤、碗、茶圓、酒圓具燒
at their disposal to produce sepia enamels on porcelain. The 造得甚好，嗣後將畫水墨的多燒造一些。2
first time shuimo falang vessels appeared on record, however,
was not until 1731 (9th year of Yongzheng). A pair of shuimo
falang tea bowls painted with bamboos was amongst a list
of 50 pieces of falangcai vessels submitted to the Yongzheng
emperor. The following year in the 4th month, it was recorded
that these sepia enamelled vessels have caught the emperor’s
attention, for it was decreed that:

‘Furthermore, shuimo falang vessels are excellent. Painters
Dai Heng 戴 恒 and Tang Zhenji 湯 振 基 should be
employed to paint enamels; the drafts they submitted
should be delivered (to the atelier).’1

6 An Important Yongzheng Falangcai ‘Prunus And Bamboo’ Bowl 踈影暗香 ─ 雍正琺瑯彩赭墨梅竹圖盌