Page 21 - 2018 Hong Kong Important Chieese Art

With its extremely rare form and meticulous execution, potters to develop innovative approaches aligned with the
this celadon-glazed covered vase serves as a testament emperors’ preferences.
to the period of aesthetic and technological achievement
Superbly modelled with dramatic proportions accentuated
in porcelain production when Tang Ying (1682-1756) was
starkly on each side with a ruyi apron, the vase is further
supervisor of the imperial kilns in Jingdezhen. Tang’s exposure
applied a lustrous celadon glaze that has thinned and pooled
to the imperial art collection during his youth enabled him
on the raised designs and recesses, creating crisply defined
to study celebrated masterpieces from the past and adapt
designs and attractive contrasting tones. The carefully
them to the contemporaneous tastes of the Yongzheng and
planned design of the vase, however, is far from one of mere
Qianlong Emperors under whom he worked. Not only does
aesthetic value – the repeated use of the ruyi motif as well
the covered vase demonstrate the innovation and skills of
as the combination of auspicious emblems are a response to
imperial Qing potters through its carefully composed structure
the Emperor’s infatuation with portents of good fortunes. The
and exquisitely detailed relief designs, it also incorporates
central design of a bat suspending a musical chime amidst
ingeniously elements of China’s celebrated traditions
lotus flowers also forms the wish for ‘longevity fortune and
through the use of a luminous celadon glaze – and acts as an
happiness as high as the sky’.
embodiment of the Qianlong Emperor’s particular reverence
towards the Song dynasty. The depiction of a musical chime suspending varying motifs is
not uncommon on other moulded and carved celadon-glazed
Ceramics with celadon glazes have been held in such high
wares, though it is often depicted suspending the ‘double-fish’,
esteem since the beginning of their production in the Song
for two Qianlong reign-marked examples, see a ruyi-handled
dynasty and even within the Song dynasty alone there was
vase, sold in these rooms, 8th October 2013, lot 202; and an
evidence of a continuation of imperial taste and style from
octagonal vase adorned with an underglaze-blue and famille-
the Northern to Southern Song dynasties. By virtue of
rose central body, sold in these rooms 7th April 2015, lot
this longstanding admiration towards the celadon colour,
3616. Though the pairing of a bat and chime is rarely found
new ways were ever developed to replicate the superb
on moulded and carved celadon wares, it is incorporated in
clear bluish-green tone and by the Yongzheng reign in the
other vessels of the period, including a Qianlong reign-marked
Qing dynasty particularly, the technique was revived and
famille-rose vase, sold in these rooms, 3rd April 2018, lot 3205.
employed on smaller pieces – though very rarely coupled with
relief decoration. The high quality of the raw materials and Vases of this form are extremely rare and no closely
technological advancements developed at the imperial kilns comparable example appears to be published other than its
at Jingdezhen during the 18th century undoubtedly enabled companion piece, sold in these rooms, 19th May 1982, lot 286.

IMPORTANT CHINESE ART 19