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拍品專文
Wang Bingrong was one of the finest of a small group of independent ceramicists of the mid-19th century who began to emerge from the traditionally anonymous production of ceramics at Jingdezhen by signing their names, developing distinctive styles and acquiring fame. His dates are not known, but Wang probably worked from sometime during the Daoguang period into the second half of the nineteenth century.
This is one of Wang's more popular designs covered predominantly by monochrome enamels. Other comparable examples include a yellow-enameled example illustrated by L. S. Perry, Chinese Snuff Bottles, p. 84, no. 64; two bottles, one covered in a pale yellow enamel, the other in a very pale green enamel mottled with brighter green splashes, illustrated by B. C. Stevens, The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles, p. 93, nos. 263 and 265, respectively; a pale duck-egg-blue-enameled bottle illustrated in Zhongguo Biyanhu Zhenshang [Gems of Chinese Snuff Bottles], no. 161; and an example left in the raw biscuit state achieved after the first firing, illustrated by R. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles - The White Wings Collection, p. 140, no. 94. All of these examples, the present bottle included, however, are not strictly speaking monochrome, since the eyes of the dragons are enameled in black and white.
It is interesting to note with Wang Bingrong's series of dragon bottles that no two are identical. In each case the design was considered afresh with the dragons in different positions, suggesting that the designs owed nothing to a mold, but were entirely carved by hand, even if the initial shape of the bottle was derived from a mold.
This is one of Wang's more popular designs covered predominantly by monochrome enamels. Other comparable examples include a yellow-enameled example illustrated by L. S. Perry, Chinese Snuff Bottles, p. 84, no. 64; two bottles, one covered in a pale yellow enamel, the other in a very pale green enamel mottled with brighter green splashes, illustrated by B. C. Stevens, The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles, p. 93, nos. 263 and 265, respectively; a pale duck-egg-blue-enameled bottle illustrated in Zhongguo Biyanhu Zhenshang [Gems of Chinese Snuff Bottles], no. 161; and an example left in the raw biscuit state achieved after the first firing, illustrated by R. Kleiner, Chinese Snuff Bottles - The White Wings Collection, p. 140, no. 94. All of these examples, the present bottle included, however, are not strictly speaking monochrome, since the eyes of the dragons are enameled in black and white.
It is interesting to note with Wang Bingrong's series of dragon bottles that no two are identical. In each case the design was considered afresh with the dragons in different positions, suggesting that the designs owed nothing to a mold, but were entirely carved by hand, even if the initial shape of the bottle was derived from a mold.