Northern Song Dynasty (960–1127), Ding Ware White-Glazed Standing Guardian King in Full Armor Holding a Sword

拍品描述

Dimensions: Height 55 cm (21.65 in / 1.80 ft); Maximum Width 26 cm (10.24 in / 0.85 ft); 10th–12th CenturyCondition & Provenance: Overall in good condition, with the principal figure intact and the major sculptural details—including the armor, scale plates, monster-mask abdominal guard, suspended sash, sword, and facial features—remaining clearly defined. The glaze shows natural surface wear, scattered pale brown accretions, and signs of age, with minor wear and small abrasions to some raised areas and edges. The unglazed underside of the base retains trimming marks and aged surface deposits. Provenance: Private collection, Hong Kong, by family descent.Description: This monumental white-glazed ceramic figure represents an armored guardian king standing in a commanding frontal pose. At 55 centimeters high, it is an unusually imposing example of sculptural production within the northern Chinese white-porcelain tradition. Molded and finished with extensive hand-worked detail, the figure combines an ivory-white glaze with elaborate armor, a sword, and a ritual hand gesture to create an image of authority and supernatural protection. The guardian stands firmly with both feet planted on an integral rock-form base, its irregular surfaces modeled to suggest a natural stone platform. The broad stance and strongly centered composition give the sculpture an almost architectural presence. He wears a high military helmet with prominent upright projections, framing a full face characterized by arched brows, focused eyes, a strong nose, and clearly modeled lips. The expression is powerful yet controlled rather than exaggerated, lending the figure a distinctly solemn presence. Particular attention has been devoted to the armor. The shoulders are protected by densely modeled scale armor, each individual element articulated in relief. The chest armor is divided into clearly defined sections, while a broad belt encircles the waist. Dominating the lower torso is a boldly modeled monster-mask guard, its facial features and projecting details serving both a decorative and apotropaic function. Knotted sashes descend from the waist in fluid folds, providing a graceful counterpoint to the geometric structure of the armor. The legs are further protected by layered armor and greaves terminating above substantial military boots. In one hand, the guardian holds a long, straight sword with a stylized ruyi-shaped terminal, an emblem of his role as a defender against malevolent forces. The opposite arm is raised across the chest, with the hand forming a ritual gesture, adding a strong ceremonial quality to the otherwise static and monumental stance. The figure is covered in a softly lustrous ivory-white glaze characteristic of the visual vocabulary associated with Ding-type white wares. Variations in glaze thickness across the armor, folds, and deeply modeled recesses enhance the sculptural relief. Pale buff and brown accretions within recessed areas and along raised details contribute to the aged surface character. The underside of the irregular rock-form base is left unglazed, revealing a pale gray-white ceramic body with visible trimming marks. Ding ware is celebrated above all for the refinement of its white porcelain, while large-scale ceramic sculpture presented considerably greater technical challenges than conventional bowls, dishes, and vessels. Modeling, drying, structural stability, and high-temperature firing all became increasingly demanding as scale increased. Combining a monumental 55-centimeter format, elaborate armor, sword-bearing iconography, ritual gesture, and an understated ivory-white glaze, this guardian figure brings together the commanding presence of Song religious sculpture and the restrained elegance associated with northern Chinese white ceramics.

图片