A fine and extremely rare flambé Jun-imitation vase, hu, Seal mark and period of Qianlong | 清乾隆　仿鈞天藍窰變釉雙耳壺　《大清乾隆年製》款

拍品描述

Property from an old Hong Kong family collection 香港家族舊藏 25.5 cm This exceptional vase stands as a testament to the Qianlong Emperor’s deep reverence for antiquity, uniting a form inspired by ancient ritual bronzes with an attractive glaze created in imitation of Song dynasty ‘Jun’ ware. It is particularly rare for its relatively more delicate size, further elevated by the addition of elegant ruyi-cloud handles flanking the neck. The monochrome ceramics of the Song period (960-1279) were highly revered by the Qianlong Emperor, who not only avidly collected them but actively commissioned the Imperial kilns to replicate their luminous glazes. The present vase displays vibrant hues of sky-blue streaked with lavender in faithful emulation of the Jun prototypes. The striking, unpredictable streaks characteristic of this decoration are known as yaobian (‘transmutation glaze’), achieved through precise firing techniques that allowed the glaze to fluidly flow and transform within the kiln. This antiquarian passion was heavily influenced by Northern Song Emperor Huizong (1082–1135). In emulation of Huizong's 1123 catalogue Bogu tu [Illustrated Catalogue of Antiquities], Qianlong orchestrated the compilation of his own monumental court catalogues, including the Shiqu baoji, Midian zhulin, Tianlu linlang, and the Xiqing gujian (finalised in 1749). Rather than treating these compendiums as mere documentation, the court frequently ordered the production of new porcelain vessels directly based on their illustrations. Accordingly, this vase draws its archaistic silhouette from a Western Zhou dynasty (c. 1046–771 BC) bronze ritual hu, likely modelled after a specific lineage recorded in the Xiqing gujian (see fig. 1). Vases of this form are also recorded in other monochrome glazes, compare a Qianlong mark and period Ge-type vase of larger size, illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 2, London, 1994, pl. 873; a larger 'tea-dust' glazed vase of this form, also of Qianlong mark and period, is in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Geng Baochang, ed., Gugong Bowuyuan cang Qingdai yuyao ciqi [Qing porcelains from the Imperial kilns preserved in the Palace Museum], Beijing, 2005, pl. 125.

图片