A fine and extremely rare pair of ruby-pink and famille-rose...
Property from an important European collection
A fine and extremely rare pair of ruby-pink and famille-rose 'lychee' cups,
Marks and period of Yongzheng
重要歐洲收藏
清雍正 胭脂紅內粉彩荔枝紋盃一對 《大清雍正年製》款
each delicately potted with deep rounded sides rising from a short straight foot to a slightly flared rim, exquisitely enamelled to the interior with a lychee spray, the exterior applied with a rich ruby glaze of crushed raspberry tone, the base inscribed with a six-character reign mark in a double circle, wood stands
8.6 cm
Condition Report:
Overall very good condition. Just a few minuscule original firing imperfections, and a few tiny pinholes on the rim of one cup. The enamels are generally very well preserved.
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整體品相良好。惟見口沿幾處細小棕眼。釉面保存完好。
Catalogue Note:
In its clean form and exceptionally vibrant crushed raspberry tone, together with delicate sprays of lychee on the interior, these rare cups exemplify the Yongzheng Emperor's aesthetic sensibility and incessant pursuit of refined beauty.
The ruby-pink enamel was first introduced to China from Europe through Jesuit missionaries during the Kangxi period (see Nigel Wood, Chinese Glazes, Hong Kong, 1999, pp. 241-243). Numerous scientific experiments were conducted, and towards the end of the Kangxi period, around 1720, artisans developed an improved recipe of a matte ruby-pink enamel derived from colloidal gold combined with an admixture of opaque white lead arsenate. These technological achievements resulted in a variety of shades, from bright pink to purplish red, which revolutionised the porcelain colour palette. This enamel, known as "rose-pink," would later lend its name to the corresponding European term famille rose. An array of small refined vessels characterised by fine potting and perfectly fired enamels of bright hues were commissioned since the late Kangxi period and continued into the Yongzheng reign.
Exquisitely painted on the interior with a spray of lychee in famille-rose, the present cups are extremely rare and no other examples seem to be recorded. Although the combination of famille-rose and puce enamels was already employed in the last years of the Kangxi reign and continued into the early Yongzheng period, extant examples are rare and differ in shape and design.
Several Yongzheng examples painted in famille-rose with scattered berries, melon and lotus seeds are known. Most of them are modelled with steep sides, closely following the Kangxi prototypes: for example, a pair is illustrated in Julian Thompson, The Alan Chuang Collection of Chinese Porcelain, Hong Kong, 2009, pl. 94; another pair was sold in these rooms, 6th April 2016, lot 3018. Also decorated with berries and seeds, a bowl with rounded sides enamelled in bright carnation-pink is published in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 2, London, 1994, pl. 957.
Two smaller pairs of Yongzheng rose-pink enamelled cups, each painted on the interior with three cherries and inscribed with a six-character mark in three columns, were sold in these rooms, 29th November 1977, lot 162, and 10th December 1985, lot 273, respectively. See also a slightly larger pair of Yongzheng-marked pink-enamelled cups with flaring sides and florets on the interior, formerly in the collection of J.M. Hu, included in Qing Imperial Monochromes: The Zande Lou Collection, Hong Kong, 2005, pl. 16.
For a Yongzheng cup of this proportion and vibrant colour, but without famille-rose decoration, see one included in Zhongguo ming tao Riben xunhui zhan [Exhibition of famous Chinese ceramics touring Japan], Museum of History, Taipei, 1993, p. 177 and sold in these rooms, 7th October 2019, lot 3102; and another, sold twice in these rooms, first, 31st October 1995, lot 415, and again 29th October 2001, lot 577. Compare also another pair of Yongzheng pink-enamelled cups with undecorated interiors in this collection, lot 14.
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兩盃成對，線條素淨，外施胭脂紅，發色明艷，內繪折枝果，筆觸妙肖；雍正所好皆恬適典雅，恰如此對。
胭脂紅於康熙年間隨西洋傳教士進入中國（見武德，《Chinese Glazes》，香港，1999年，頁241-243），實踐摸索至該朝末年，所燒之器已不計其數，終於1720年前後，瓷匠乃以膠體金和不透明砷酸鉛為呈色劑改良此釉。有賴新技，胭脂紅更富變化，濃如奼紫，淡若嫣紅，為瓷器開創新色。此色紅似玫瑰，又稱玫瑰紅、薔薇紅、洋紅等。康熙末年至雍正即位之初，瓷匠曾奉旨燒造一批，形制嬌小，胎體玲瓏，釉彩細膩，顏色秀麗生輝。
此對器內以粉彩巧繪折枝荔枝一枚，尤為珍罕，遍尋記錄未見雷同。康雍交替之際，雖已有粉彩與胭脂紅合現一器，然存世之例甚少，且器形、紋飾不盡相同。
可比較雍正數例，粉彩繪莓、瓜、蓮子等，大多緊隨康熙範式，壁斜且陡，如一對，錄於朱湯生，《中國瓷器：莊紹綏收藏》，香港，2009年，圖版94；及一對，售於香港蘇富比2016年4月6日，編號3018。另比一盌，盌壁弧圓，胭脂色淡，內飾莓果，錄於康蕊君，《玫茵堂中國陶瓷》，卷二，倫敦，1994年，圖版957。再比兩對雍正胭脂紅小盃，各繪櫻桃三枚、落六字三行年款，分別售於香港蘇富比1977年11月29日，編號162，及香港蘇富比1985年12月10日，編號273。仍比一對，雍正年款撇口盃，內飾花卉，胡惠春舊藏，收入《暫得樓清代官窰單色釉瓷器》，香港，2005年，圖版16。
亦可比一雍正例，器形、顏色皆與此對相近，然盃內素潔無紋，見於《中國名陶日本巡迴展》，歷史博物館，台北，1993年，頁177，後售於香港蘇富比2019年10月8日，編號3102；及一例，兩度售於香港蘇富比，先於1995年10月31日，編號415，又於2001年10月29日，編號577。再比雍正胭脂水馬蹄盃一對，器內無紋，與此對乃同一收藏所出，拍品編號14。
Provenance:
Acquired from Edward T. Chow (1910-80) in the late 1960s.
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1960年代末購自仇焱之（1910-80年）
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Property from an important European collection
A fine and extremely rare pair of ruby-pink and famille-rose 'lychee' cups,
Marks and period of Yongzheng
重要歐洲收藏
清雍正 胭脂紅內粉彩荔枝紋盃一對 《大清雍正年製》款
each delicately potted with deep rounded sides rising from a short straight foot to a slightly flared rim, exquisitely enamelled to the interior with a lychee spray, the exterior applied with a rich ruby glaze of crushed raspberry tone, the base inscribed with a six-character reign mark in a double circle, wood stands
8.6 cm
Condition Report:
Overall very good condition. Just a few minuscule original firing imperfections, and a few tiny pinholes on the rim of one cup. The enamels are generally very well preserved.
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整體品相良好。惟見口沿幾處細小棕眼。釉面保存完好。
Catalogue Note:
In its clean form and exceptionally vibrant crushed raspberry tone, together with delicate sprays of lychee on the interior, these rare cups exemplify the Yongzheng Emperor's aesthetic sensibility and incessant pursuit of refined beauty.
The ruby-pink enamel was first introduced to China from Europe through Jesuit missionaries during the Kangxi period (see Nigel Wood, Chinese Glazes, Hong Kong, 1999, pp. 241-243). Numerous scientific experiments were conducted, and towards the end of the Kangxi period, around 1720, artisans developed an improved recipe of a matte ruby-pink enamel derived from colloidal gold combined with an admixture of opaque white lead arsenate. These technological achievements resulted in a variety of shades, from bright pink to purplish red, which revolutionised the porcelain colour palette. This enamel, known as "rose-pink," would later lend its name to the corresponding European term famille rose. An array of small refined vessels characterised by fine potting and perfectly fired enamels of bright hues were commissioned since the late Kangxi period and continued into the Yongzheng reign.
Exquisitely painted on the interior with a spray of lychee in famille-rose, the present cups are extremely rare and no other examples seem to be recorded. Although the combination of famille-rose and puce enamels was already employed in the last years of the Kangxi reign and continued into the early Yongzheng period, extant examples are rare and differ in shape and design.
Several Yongzheng examples painted in famille-rose with scattered berries, melon and lotus seeds are known. Most of them are modelled with steep sides, closely following the Kangxi prototypes: for example, a pair is illustrated in Julian Thompson, The Alan Chuang Collection of Chinese Porcelain, Hong Kong, 2009, pl. 94; another pair was sold in these rooms, 6th April 2016, lot 3018. Also decorated with berries and seeds, a bowl with rounded sides enamelled in bright carnation-pink is published in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 2, London, 1994, pl. 957.
Two smaller pairs of Yongzheng rose-pink enamelled cups, each painted on the interior with three cherries and inscribed with a six-character mark in three columns, were sold in these rooms, 29th November 1977, lot 162, and 10th December 1985, lot 273, respectively. See also a slightly larger pair of Yongzheng-marked pink-enamelled cups with flaring sides and florets on the interior, formerly in the collection of J.M. Hu, included in Qing Imperial Monochromes: The Zande Lou Collection, Hong Kong, 2005, pl. 16.
For a Yongzheng cup of this proportion and vibrant colour, but without famille-rose decoration, see one included in Zhongguo ming tao Riben xunhui zhan [Exhibition of famous Chinese ceramics touring Japan], Museum of History, Taipei, 1993, p. 177 and sold in these rooms, 7th October 2019, lot 3102; and another, sold twice in these rooms, first, 31st October 1995, lot 415, and again 29th October 2001, lot 577. Compare also another pair of Yongzheng pink-enamelled cups with undecorated interiors in this collection, lot 14.
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兩盃成對，線條素淨，外施胭脂紅，發色明艷，內繪折枝果，筆觸妙肖；雍正所好皆恬適典雅，恰如此對。
胭脂紅於康熙年間隨西洋傳教士進入中國（見武德，《Chinese Glazes》，香港，1999年，頁241-243），實踐摸索至該朝末年，所燒之器已不計其數，終於1720年前後，瓷匠乃以膠體金和不透明砷酸鉛為呈色劑改良此釉。有賴新技，胭脂紅更富變化，濃如奼紫，淡若嫣紅，為瓷器開創新色。此色紅似玫瑰，又稱玫瑰紅、薔薇紅、洋紅等。康熙末年至雍正即位之初，瓷匠曾奉旨燒造一批，形制嬌小，胎體玲瓏，釉彩細膩，顏色秀麗生輝。
此對器內以粉彩巧繪折枝荔枝一枚，尤為珍罕，遍尋記錄未見雷同。康雍交替之際，雖已有粉彩與胭脂紅合現一器，然存世之例甚少，且器形、紋飾不盡相同。
可比較雍正數例，粉彩繪莓、瓜、蓮子等，大多緊隨康熙範式，壁斜且陡，如一對，錄於朱湯生，《中國瓷器：莊紹綏收藏》，香港，2009年，圖版94；及一對，售於香港蘇富比2016年4月6日，編號3018。另比一盌，盌壁弧圓，胭脂色淡，內飾莓果，錄於康蕊君，《玫茵堂中國陶瓷》，卷二，倫敦，1994年，圖版957。再比兩對雍正胭脂紅小盃，各繪櫻桃三枚、落六字三行年款，分別售於香港蘇富比1977年11月29日，編號162，及香港蘇富比1985年12月10日，編號273。仍比一對，雍正年款撇口盃，內飾花卉，胡惠春舊藏，收入《暫得樓清代官窰單色釉瓷器》，香港，2005年，圖版16。
亦可比一雍正例，器形、顏色皆與此對相近，然盃內素潔無紋，見於《中國名陶日本巡迴展》，歷史博物館，台北，1993年，頁177，後售於香港蘇富比2019年10月8日，編號3102；及一例，兩度售於香港蘇富比，先於1995年10月31日，編號415，又於2001年10月29日，編號577。再比雍正胭脂水馬蹄盃一對，器內無紋，與此對乃同一收藏所出，拍品編號14。
Provenance:
Acquired from Edward T. Chow (1910-80) in the late 1960s.
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1960年代末購自仇焱之（1910-80年）
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Time, Location
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