28 Nov 2011
13:00 CST
Hong Kong
Yixing Stoneware from the Mr and Mrs Gerard Hawthorn Collection
Back to auction 19621
Yixing Stoneware from the Mr and Mrs Gerard Hawthorn Collection
Back to auction 19621
An Imperial Yixing stoneware inkstone
Yongzheng
Of circular form with a continuous well, intricately slip decorated to the exterior with a continuous winter landscape scene centred on an island in a river estuary, on which an elderly scholar bearing a staff is depicted traversing up a hill, accompanied by an acolyte, the scene extending to show a sampan and two other islands, the entire landscape conveyed in a 'windswept' manner, with the exposed landscape depicted as barren and remote, the trees bare of leaves, their branches depicted swaying in the strong winds, the stoneware of a rich greyish-purple, the original black lacquer box gilt-decorated and painted on the exterior of the cover with four bats encircling a stylised floral medallion, enclosed by stylised floral border, the sides decorated with four additional bats interspersed by stylised scrolling floral motifs, the interior of the cover gilt-decorated with luxuriant floral sprigs, the underside of the box decorated with additional stylised floral blooms.
23cm diam.
Of circular form with a continuous well, intricately slip decorated to the exterior with a continuous winter landscape scene centred on an island in a river estuary, on which an elderly scholar bearing a staff is depicted traversing up a hill, accompanied by an acolyte, the scene extending to show a sampan and two other islands, the entire landscape conveyed in a 'windswept' manner, with the exposed landscape depicted as barren and remote, the trees bare of leaves, their branches depicted swaying in the strong winds, the stoneware of a rich greyish-purple, the original black lacquer box gilt-decorated and painted on the exterior of the cover with four bats encircling a stylised floral medallion, enclosed by stylised floral border, the sides decorated with four additional bats interspersed by stylised scrolling floral motifs, the interior of the cover gilt-decorated with luxuriant floral sprigs, the underside of the box decorated with additional stylised floral blooms.
23cm diam.
Sold for
HK$ 8,420,000
inc. premium
Footnotes
- No other Yixing stoneware inkstone of this quality, complete with its original lacquer box, appears ever to have been offered at auction. The intricacy of the slip decoration, in which minute details are picked out, is outstanding. For a related Yixing stoneware inkstone from the Qing court collection, preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing, see Yixing Zisha Wares in the Palace Museum, Beijing, 2009, p.193, pl. 111 (fig.1). The Palace Museum example differs from the current example in that it is decorated with bats and 'shou' characters amidst clouds, and has no original lacquer box. It is however dated Yongzheng, and recorded as having originally been housed in the 'Maoqin dian' ('Hall of Diligence').
The quality of workmanship and intricacy of design on the original lacquer box compares favourably with other painted gilt-decorated lacquer wares, including stands, in the Palace Museum, Beijing. For a Qianlong reign-marked lacquer plate with similar rendition of stylised bats and floral sprays, see a plate from the Qing court collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty, Hong Kong, 2006, p. 149, pl. 108.
清雍正 紫泥泥繪策杖行旅圓形硯
泥色深栗，沉實古雅。硯呈扁餅形，硯面突起處成硯膛，外環凹入處為砲池，硯底部內凹，設計實用簡潔。硯壁以砂泥堆繪出一河三岸的景色，一岸高山，一岸枯樹，一岸屋舍，後繪有高士與童子遠游歸來，河上有一泛舟，淡淡然的，描寫出幽雅恬靜的景致，精工細作。
清宮懋勤殿舊藏雍正御用紫砂硯，雖描繪內容有所不同，但不論在形製、技法、概念與氣質方面，皆與本硯類同，如出一轍，見故宮博物院，《故宮博物院藏宜興紫砂》，頁193，圖版111。
此硯另一個特別之處，是配以清花卉蝙蝠紋漆圓蓋盒，蓋盒圖案對稱，在黑色地上運用紅、金、棕三色，以花卉如意紋環蓋邊一周，東南西北四方繪以蝙蝠紋，中央再飾以花卉及如意紋，蓋邊再以花卉及蝙蝠紋相間，富麗高雅;蓋內及蓋底也不乏裝飾，分別飾不同類的折技花卉及金彩繪牡丹紋，尤見匠心。從工藝質素及設計精確度來說，此漆蓋盒可媲美北京故宮博物院藏描金漆器。同樣飾以擴散式蝙蝠及花卉紋的乾隆款漆碟，可參考The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Lacquer Wares of the Qing Dynasty, 香港, 2006, 頁 149, 圖版 108。
Category: Asian Art / Chinese Works of Art
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