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The Power of the Imperial Dragon
Rosemary Scott, International Academic Director, Asian Art
This rare and imposing vase is magnificent not simply for its size, but for the exceptional quality of its decoration and the successful manner in which it portrays the power of the imperial dragons which encircle its sides. As is the case with the majority of fine imperial vases, this example was one of a pair with essentially mirror image decoration, and its companion vase was sold by Christie's Hong Kong on 3rd November 1996, lot 730 (fig. 1), and included in the Min Chiu Society's exhibition In Pursuit of Antiquities, Hong Kong, 2001, no. 187.
Vessels of this shape are often called 'lantern' vases or 'lantern' jars because of their similarity to the form of porcelain lanterns, such as the Kangxi (1662-1722) overglaze enamelled example and 18th century doucai example in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (illustrated by Rose Kerr in Chinese Ceramics - Porcelain of the Qing Dynasty 1644-1911, London, 1986, pp. 104-5, pls. 84 and 85). However, the more cylindrical form of the current vessel may also be linked to an earlier porcelain shape, which came to prominence in the Ming dynasty Yongle reign (1403-24). This early 15th century form, which usually appears with underglaze blue decoration (illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum 34 Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (I), Hong Kong, 2000, p. 45, no. 43), seems to have been inspired by jars made to hold medicines and ointments in Egypt, Syria and Iran. The form was also introduced to Italy in the 15th century, where it was copied in majolica (tin-glazed earthenware) and earned the name 'albarello' jar. The Islamic inspiration for the Chinese version of the form is reinforced by the underglaze blue decoration seen on the early 15th century Chinese porcelain vessels, which almost invariably includes an Islamic-style lattice - as is the case on the Palace Museum example. Both the shape and underglaze blue decoration of the early 15th century 'albarello' jars was meticulously copied at the imperial kilns in the 18th century.
In fact the form represented by the current vessel is an elegant compromise between the true lantern form - as represented by the Victoria and Albert Museum examples - and the albarello-style jars. It has less rounded sides than the lanterns, but less severely cylindrical sides than the albarello-style jars. It may also be noted that both the other forms have vertical feet and necks, which are of approximately the same radius as each other, while the current vase has a slightly splayed foot, which is noticeably wider than its everted mouth. This form seems to have been particularly popular during the Qianlong reign, when it may be seen in different sizes and with some variations in the width and height of the neck - see, for example, the red-glazed 'lantern' vase in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing (fig. 2) (illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum 37 Monochrome Porcelain, Hong Kong, 1999, p. 38, no. 34), and the overglaze enamelled 'lantern' vase in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum (illustrated by Rose Kerr, op. cit., p. 116, pl. 99). The large size and elegant proportions of the current vase, however, make it very rare, although an even larger 'lantern' jar decorated in underglaze cobalt blue is preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing (illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum 34 Blue and White Porcelain with Underglaze Red (III), Hong Kong, 2000, p. 149, no. 135).
The decoration on the current vessel depicts the most potent symbol of imperial majesty - the five-clawed dragon - in carved relief. The powerful five-clawed imperial dragon with horns was the symbol of the emperor, and appears in many forms on the Chinese decorative arts, sometimes alone, and sometimes accompanied by the phoenix, symbol of the empress. The Chinese dragon, unlike his European counterpart, was believed to be a beneficent creature. He was not only the essence of yang (male) properties, but is also a bringer of rain. The dragon was believed to rise from winter hibernation among the waves at the Spring Equinox to bring the rain necessary to water the crops, which is why the creature on this Qianlong vase is depicted rising from the waves and flying amongst clouds. The dragon was also one of the si ling - creatures of the four quarters - the green dragon representing the east, while the west was represented by the white tiger, the south by the red bird, and the symbol of the north was the so-called dark warrior, usually depicted as a tortoise and snake combined.
Powerful relief-carved dragons amongst clouds and above waves can be seen on a large Yongzheng bowl with inverted rim and pale celadon glaze in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing (illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum 37 Monochrome Porcelain, op. cit., p. 149, no. 135). However, the majority of the vessels with this type of low-relief carved dragon decoration date to the Qianlong reign. A large Qianlong lantern vase of similar size and proportions, and with very similar relief dragon decoration to that on the current vase, but under a turquoise, rather than green, glaze in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing is illustrated by Feng Xianming, Geng Baochang and Ye Peilan (eds.) in Selected Porcelains of the Flourishing Qing Dynasty at the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 1994, p. 355, no. 92 (fig. 2). The turquoise vase shares with the current vessel not only similar dragons, but the form of the clouds and the waves, including the unusual sickle-shaped waves rising from the upper surface of the sea. A white-glazed Qianlong vase in the Tianminlou Collection is decorated with similar carved dragons, but this vase does not have the sickle-shaped waves, and the clouds are depicted in a more mannered style with spiral details (illustrated in Chinese Porcelain - The S.C. Ko Tianminlou Collection, Hong Kong, 1987, no. 135) (fig. 4). A Qianlong porcelain hat stand with pale, opaque, lime green glaze in the collection of the National Palace Museum Taipei is also decorated with lively carved dragons, but in this case the dragons are amongst lotus scrolls, which they grasp with their clawed feet (illustrated in Catalogue of a Special Exhibition of Ch'ing-Dynasty Monochrome Porcelains in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1981, p. 101). The dragons on the hat stand also lack some of the authority of those on the current vessel. An unmarked globular vase with similar carved relief dragons under a celadon glaze is in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (fig. 5) (illustrated in The World's Great Collections - Oriental Ceramics Volume 11 The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Kodansha Series, Tokyo, 1982, colour plate 29), and another is illustrated by S.W. Bushell in Oriental Ceramic Art Illustrated by Examples from the Collection of W.T. Walters, New York, 1896, fig. 183. Interestingly, somewhat less powerful dragons amongst clouds decorate a Qianlong albarello-shaped lidded jar with celadon glaze in the Palace Museum, Beijing (illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum 37 Monochrome Porcelain, op. cit., p. 192, no. 174).
It is noticeable that the carving on the current vase and on the similar turquoise-glazed vessel in the Palace Museum is particularly skilful. The decorator has created multiple planes within the low-relief, allowing different parts of the decoration to overlap in a convincing manner, and adding vitality to the dragons themselves. The carving is also very crisp, and that crispness is in no way clouded by the glaze. Both the green glaze on the current vase and the turquoise glaze on the similar vase in the Palace Museum, are densely coloured but with thin glazes applied to the biscuit-fired body of the vessel, producing a richness of colour without the glaze pooling and filling delicately carved areas of the design. This is particularly evident on the bodies of the dragons, where the scales retain clarity of form and texture. The magnificent dragons thus encircle the vase emanating vitality and imperial power.
清乾隆 蘋果綠釉凸雕蒼龍教子燈籠尊 六字篆書印款
QIANLONG IMPRESSED SIX-CHARACTER SEAL MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)
細節
撇口短頸，長圓腹，圈足外撇。通體及足內施青綠釉，外壁凸花飾蒼龍教子紋。足內陽刻「大清乾隆年製」篆書款。
此尊源自東南亞私人收藏，於二十世紀上半葉入藏。2002年10月28日於香港佳士得拍賣，拍品714號，後2004年11月1日於香港佳士得拍賣，拍品901號。著錄於2006年香港出版《香港佳士得二十週年回顧：中國瓷器及工藝品精選》，168頁。
此尊源自東南亞私人收藏，於二十世紀上半葉入藏。2002年10月28日於香港佳士得拍賣，拍品714號，後2004年11月1日於香港佳士得拍賣，拍品901號。著錄於2006年香港出版《香港佳士得二十週年回顧：中國瓷器及工藝品精選》，168頁。
來源
A Southeast Asian family collection, acquired in the first half of 20th century
Sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 28 October 2002, lot 714
Sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 November 2004, lot 901
Sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 28 October 2002, lot 714
Sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 1 November 2004, lot 901
出版
天行九五— 象徵皇權的龍紋
蘇玫瑰 亞洲藝術部資深學術顧問
本燈籠尊體形碩大，裝飾工藝非常高超，器身通景凸雕威猛的皇家龍紋，實在是難得的佳器。正如其他御瓷一樣，本尊原為一對，紋飾相對如倒影。另一尊1996年11月3日於香港佳士得拍賣，拍品730號（圖一），曾展出於香港2001年舉辦《好古敏求—敏求精舍四十周年紀念展》，編號187。
此款瓶因形似瓷燈籠，一般稱燈籠瓶或燈籠尊，見英國國立維多利亞與艾爾伯特博物館收藏瓷燈籠二例，分別為康熙五彩仙人圖燈籠、雍正鬥彩仙人圖燈籠，載於1986年倫敦出版Rose Kerr著《Chinese Ceramics - Porcelain of the Qing Dynasty 1644-1911》。本尊筒腹較該二例長，可能源自更早的明十五世紀青花瓷器形，參考北京故宮博物院收藏永樂青花錦紋壯罐，載於2000年香港出版故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集《青花釉裏紅．上》，圖版43號。該款壯罐應源自埃及、敘利亞、伊朗等地的藥罐形狀，十五世紀時傳到意大利亦啟發燒造了琺瑯陶器「albarello」膏藥罐。明初青花瓷更將這種藥罐式器的伊斯蘭色彩發揚光大，幾乎清一色繪上回教的幾何紋，上述北京故宮博物院收藏就是一例。至清十八世紀御窰匠更精細地仿製壯罐的形制及青花紋飾。
事實上本尊的形制優雅，正介乎維多利亞與艾爾伯特博物館所藏瓷燈籠、膏藥罐二者之間，其腹部沒有瓷燈籠的圓渾，卻又不是膏藥罐般畢直。值得注意是二款原型均有直足及直頸，足與頸的直徑亦相若；本尊則足及口微撇，足徑較口徑寬。此器形在乾隆年間特別流行，其中有各式大小，頸寬及頸高亦各異，其他形制例子包括北京故宮博物院所藏胭脂紅釉燈籠尊，載於1999年香港出版故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集《顏色釉》，圖版34號（圖二）；維多利亞與艾爾伯特博物館所藏粉彩花蝶紋燈籠尊，載於《Chinese Ceramics -Porcelain of the Qing Dynasty 1644-1911》，圖版99號。本大型尊比例優美，非常罕見，惟見清宮舊藏一件更大的青花異獸圖燈籠尊，載於2000年香港出版故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集《青花釉裏．下》，圖版135號。本尊凸雕五爪龍紋，象徵至高無上的皇權，帶角的五爪龍為帝皇之徽，經常以不同形式出現於中國裝飾藝術。龍紋有時單獨，有時伴以象徵皇后的鳳凰紋。中國文化視龍為瑞獸，這與歐洲不同。龍既有陽剛之氣，並帶來雨水。傳說龍冬蟄後於春分時節從海躍出，普施雨澤，滋潤農物。本尊描繪的正是龍出水騰雲之勢。龍亦是四靈之一，青龍代表東方，西方為白虎，南方為朱雀，北方為玄武。
如此器凸雕威猛的海水雲龍紋，亦見於清宮舊藏一件雍正粉青釉凸雲龍紋缽式缸，載於《顏色釉》，圖版135號。然而大部份近似的淺浮雕龍紋器卻燒造於乾隆年間。北京故宮博物院收藏一件乾隆松綠釉燈籠尊，不但大小、比例與本尊近似，凸雕龍紋亦相近，載於1994年出版馮先銘、耿寶昌、葉佩蘭編《清盛世瓷選粹》，圖版92號（圖三）。二尊不但龍紋近似，甚至卷雲及海水紋亦相若，尤其均飾罕見的廉刀狀浪花。天民樓收藏一件乾隆白釉刻龍紋瓶，其龍紋與本尊近似，但沒有廉刀狀浪花紋，卻有風格化的螺旋雲紋，載於1987年香港出版《天民樓藏瓷．上》，圖版135號（圖四）。
臺北故宮博物院收藏一件綠釉龍紋冠架，龍紋形象同樣栩栩如生，主題卻是蛟龍穿蓮，見1981年台北出版《清代單色釉瓷器特展目錄》，圖版103號。該龍卻缺乏本尊龍紋之至尊形象。紐約大都會博物館收藏一件無款的青釉凸雕龍紋天球瓶，載於1982年東京出版《The World’s Great Collections, Oriental Ceramics,Volume 11, The Metropolitan Museum of Art》，彩圖29號（圖五）。另一近似例子載於1896年紐約出版S.W. Bushell著《Oriental Ceramic Art Illustrated by Examples from the Collection of W.T. Walters》，圖183號。再北京故宮博物院收藏一件仿龍泉釉凸花雲龍紋蓋罐，龍紋形象亦稍欠威猛，見《顏色釉》，圖版174號。
本尊與北京故宮博物院所藏松綠釉燈籠尊的雕工相若，陶匠利用多層式雕刻使淺浮雕紋飾各部份巧妙地重疊，突出了龍紋的矯健。紋飾刀法俐落，雖在釉下而絕不顯得含糊。素胎上雖只施薄釉，顏色卻表現濃密，完全不帶積釉，卻能細緻地填滿凹位，尤其顯見於龍身的鱗片，片片清晰。在這高超的製作技巧下，泱泱大度的皇家蒼龍教子情景毅然活現眼前。
榮譽呈獻
Ruben Lien
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