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拍品專文
It is Christie’s great privilege to present one of the extremely rare full sets of four of the 2008 second series ‘Métiers d’art’ Tribal Mask wristwatches. These remarkable sets of ‘Tribal Masks’ bring together art, culture and the finest watchmaking like never before. Reproduced from life-size masks housed in Geneva’s famous Barbier-Mueller Museum, the first four watches of this exceptional series of Metiers d’Art timepieces were made in 2007 featuring masks from China, Alaska, the Congo, and Indonesia. The second set of the series made in 2008, such as the present lot, feature four different masks, this time from Japan, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, and the Gabon Kwélé people. A third and final set of four masks were unveiled in 2009, featuring tribal masks from Mexico, Gabon, Indonesia, and China.
Celebrating their 250th anniversary in 2005, Vacheron Constantin decided to explore the idea of creating a series of culturally significant wristwatches. The theme of tribal masks was inspired by the Geneva based Barbier-Mueller Museum, the world's finest museum of primitive art who then were approached in order to form a close collaboration with the Maison to bring these works of art from diverse cultures to a wider audience. In 2007, an incredible series of watches featuring tribal masks called ‘Métiers d’art les Masques’ was announced. These extraordinary watches were presented in boxed sets of four, each watch featuring a different mask from one of the four continents, Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Oceania. The project was completed with the inclusion of verses by the French poet Michel Butor done in a spiral of gold letters on the sapphire crystal dials that give voice to the masks when the light strikes at certain angles. In order to give the mask full prominence, the time and date functions are ingeniously displayed by discreet rotating discs in four corner windows.
The Masks
In each of these special artisanal timepieces, an amazing life-like micro sculpture mask in 18k gold which has been carefully hand-engraved and colored to faithfully reproduce the antique mask in the Barbier-Mueller Museum. The masks are then applied to the sapphire dial which has also been metalized with patterns and texts.
In many primitive cultures, masks double in function as both an aesthetical and ritual object. Some are believed to allow for communication with the spirits of ancestors, or to be the physical manifestation of ancient rituals. Respecting the importance and cultural significance of these masks to their respective peoples, Vacheron Constantin’s craftsmen took great care not to distort their original character and identity. Using a combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern technologies, the poetic sensibilities of the masks are accurately captured with subtle contrasts, accentuating the delicacy of the finishing.
Mask of Japan – a Ritual Buddha Mask from the People of Japan at end of the Edo Period (second half of 19th century)
Featuring an 18k yellow gold case with a purple/pink sapphire dial and blue disk text, the Ritual Buddha Mask at the center emanates gentleness and serenity with its moonlike face, lowered eyes, and full cheeks framed with long curved, stylized ears. The nose and mouth are realistically drawn. The intense blue of the chignon coiffure, comprising a multitude of small, embossed curls sculpted in wood, contrasts with the gilded face.
The mask appears to represent Amida Nyorai, which means ‘infinite light’ or ‘infinite life’; he is one of the five great Buddhas of wisdom who guide believers to a second life after death. The profile of this particular figure, dating from the 19th century, brings to mind the face of the famous great Buddha statue in the Kamakura sanctuary in Japan. The creation of such a ritual piece was generally entrusted to Buddhist image-makers rather than mask-makers.
Celebrating their 250th anniversary in 2005, Vacheron Constantin decided to explore the idea of creating a series of culturally significant wristwatches. The theme of tribal masks was inspired by the Geneva based Barbier-Mueller Museum, the world's finest museum of primitive art who then were approached in order to form a close collaboration with the Maison to bring these works of art from diverse cultures to a wider audience. In 2007, an incredible series of watches featuring tribal masks called ‘Métiers d’art les Masques’ was announced. These extraordinary watches were presented in boxed sets of four, each watch featuring a different mask from one of the four continents, Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Oceania. The project was completed with the inclusion of verses by the French poet Michel Butor done in a spiral of gold letters on the sapphire crystal dials that give voice to the masks when the light strikes at certain angles. In order to give the mask full prominence, the time and date functions are ingeniously displayed by discreet rotating discs in four corner windows.
The Masks
In each of these special artisanal timepieces, an amazing life-like micro sculpture mask in 18k gold which has been carefully hand-engraved and colored to faithfully reproduce the antique mask in the Barbier-Mueller Museum. The masks are then applied to the sapphire dial which has also been metalized with patterns and texts.
In many primitive cultures, masks double in function as both an aesthetical and ritual object. Some are believed to allow for communication with the spirits of ancestors, or to be the physical manifestation of ancient rituals. Respecting the importance and cultural significance of these masks to their respective peoples, Vacheron Constantin’s craftsmen took great care not to distort their original character and identity. Using a combination of traditional craftsmanship and modern technologies, the poetic sensibilities of the masks are accurately captured with subtle contrasts, accentuating the delicacy of the finishing.
Mask of Japan – a Ritual Buddha Mask from the People of Japan at end of the Edo Period (second half of 19th century)
Featuring an 18k yellow gold case with a purple/pink sapphire dial and blue disk text, the Ritual Buddha Mask at the center emanates gentleness and serenity with its moonlike face, lowered eyes, and full cheeks framed with long curved, stylized ears. The nose and mouth are realistically drawn. The intense blue of the chignon coiffure, comprising a multitude of small, embossed curls sculpted in wood, contrasts with the gilded face.
The mask appears to represent Amida Nyorai, which means ‘infinite light’ or ‘infinite life’; he is one of the five great Buddhas of wisdom who guide believers to a second life after death. The profile of this particular figure, dating from the 19th century, brings to mind the face of the famous great Buddha statue in the Kamakura sanctuary in Japan. The creation of such a ritual piece was generally entrusted to Buddhist image-makers rather than mask-makers.