A finely painted and gilt-decorated famille-rose 'dragon and phoenix' jar...
A finely painted and gilt-decorated famille-rose 'dragon and phoenix' jar and cover,
Seal mark and period of Jiaqing
清嘉慶 粉彩礬紅描金龍鳳呈祥圖蓋罐 《大清嘉慶年製》款
the ovoid body rising from a short foot to a straight neck, finely painted with a ferocious five-clawed dragon in iron-red and a famille-rose phoenix soaring amidst undulating floral scrolls, framed by bands of ruyi-lappets, plantain leaves and keyfret, fitted with a similarly decorated domed cover with a bud-shaped knob, all with details meticulously picked out in underglaze-blue, overglaze enamels and gilt highlights, the base inscribed with a six-character seal mark in underglaze-blue
overall 26.8 cm
Condition Report:
The jar and cover are in overall good condition except for a faint vertical hairline running from the rim to the highest point of the mane of the dragon (approx. 5cm). Few minor firing imperfections, including a C-shaped firing line running through the footrim with an associated small glaze crawl to the base (approx. 1.5mm by 1.5mm). Minor surface wear including some rubbing to the gilding at the rims.
整體品相良好，僅見一細幼沖線從口沿處垂直向下至礬紅龍頭鬃毛處（約5公分）。輕微燒造瑕疵，如足墻處見一C形窰縫及連帶一處縮釉（約1.5 x 1.5毫米）。表面正常磨痕，包括罐口沿及蓋內沿金彩皆有正常磨損。
Catalogue Note:
The lively, robust five-clawed scaly dragon in iron-red enamel on the present jar starkly contrasts with the pink-bodied phoenix drawn with soft brushstrokes to highlight the bird’s feminine quality. The overall composition is characteristic of the early Jiaqing period, when designs were often set amid meandering peony and hibiscus on a white body that served as the painter’s ‘canvas’, and when the influence of Qianlong period painting style remained strong and evident.
For example, see a large Qianlong mark and period famille-rose vase painted with bright enamels and iron-red with landscape panels on a ground of floral design, sold in these rooms, 22nd May 1984, lot 142, and again, 13th November 1990, lot 310; and another Qianlong vase, the body covered with floral decoration, included in the exhibition Ethereal Elegance. Porcelain Vases of the Imperial Qing. The Huaihaitang Collection, Art Museum, Institute of Chinese Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2007, cat. no. 126, together with a Qianlong wall vase, also painted in a related fashion with flower scrolls and upright petals around the base, cat. no. 130.
The ‘dragon and phoenix’ motif is full of auspicious connotations, and vessels decorated with two of the most important mythical animals in Chinese tradition are typically made as wedding gifts. The dragon symbolises the emperor and represents fertility, while the phoenix embodies solar warmth and helps produce male offspring. The dragon, together with the phoenix, the leader of all winged creatures, symbolises the emperor and the empress and represents marital bliss. When the two animals face each other, as seen on this jar when turned, they convey the message of a happy reunion and good omen.
A related jar and cover, but with a slightly varying ruyi band at the shoulder beneath a flower scroll neck and a stylised lappet band at the foot, was sold at Christie’s New York, 15th September 2009, lot 462. Compare also a jar lacking its cover, painted with a similar design overall above a lappet band, sold at Christie’s London, 5th June 1995, lot 170.
此罐上五爪龍以礬紅彩勾勒，氣勢剛陽澎湃，鳳凰則改以粉紅用陰柔筆意繪畫，兩者對比鮮明，相得益彰。背景以素白為地，飾纏枝牡丹、芙蓉，帶乾隆瓷器遺風，為嘉慶早期之典型設計。
參見一乾隆例，帶款，以粉彩礬紅繪開光式山水圖，分别兩度售於香港蘇富比，1982年5月22日，編號142及1990年11月13日，編號310；另一乾隆作例，飾纏枝花紋，展於《機暇清賞：懷海堂藏清代御窯瓷缾》，中國文化研究所文物館，香港中文大學，香港，2007年，編號126。參見同展上一乾隆壁瓶，同纏枝花紋，近足處環飾蓮瓣紋，編號130。
龍鳳為中國傳統神獸之首，富於吉祥意義，故常見於新婚賀禮。龍象徵皇權至高無上，鳳凰則代表太陽寓意多子，亦是皇后之象徵。本品龍鳳呈祥，祝頌連生貴子、婚姻和睦。
參見一相關作例，與本品略異，瓶頸纏枝花紋下環飾如意紋，近足處繪蓮瓣紋，2009年9月15日售於紐約蘇富比，編號462。另一作例瓶蓋佚失，售於1995年6月5日倫敦蘇富比，編號170。
Provenance:
Sotheby's New York, 20th February 1975, lot 289.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 13th November 1990, lot 308.
Sotheby's London, 7th November 2012, lot 103.
紐約蘇富比1975年2月20日，編號289
香港蘇富比1990年11月13日，編號308
倫敦蘇富比2012年11月7日，編號103
View it on
Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
A finely painted and gilt-decorated famille-rose 'dragon and phoenix' jar and cover,
Seal mark and period of Jiaqing
清嘉慶 粉彩礬紅描金龍鳳呈祥圖蓋罐 《大清嘉慶年製》款
the ovoid body rising from a short foot to a straight neck, finely painted with a ferocious five-clawed dragon in iron-red and a famille-rose phoenix soaring amidst undulating floral scrolls, framed by bands of ruyi-lappets, plantain leaves and keyfret, fitted with a similarly decorated domed cover with a bud-shaped knob, all with details meticulously picked out in underglaze-blue, overglaze enamels and gilt highlights, the base inscribed with a six-character seal mark in underglaze-blue
overall 26.8 cm
Condition Report:
The jar and cover are in overall good condition except for a faint vertical hairline running from the rim to the highest point of the mane of the dragon (approx. 5cm). Few minor firing imperfections, including a C-shaped firing line running through the footrim with an associated small glaze crawl to the base (approx. 1.5mm by 1.5mm). Minor surface wear including some rubbing to the gilding at the rims.
整體品相良好，僅見一細幼沖線從口沿處垂直向下至礬紅龍頭鬃毛處（約5公分）。輕微燒造瑕疵，如足墻處見一C形窰縫及連帶一處縮釉（約1.5 x 1.5毫米）。表面正常磨痕，包括罐口沿及蓋內沿金彩皆有正常磨損。
Catalogue Note:
The lively, robust five-clawed scaly dragon in iron-red enamel on the present jar starkly contrasts with the pink-bodied phoenix drawn with soft brushstrokes to highlight the bird’s feminine quality. The overall composition is characteristic of the early Jiaqing period, when designs were often set amid meandering peony and hibiscus on a white body that served as the painter’s ‘canvas’, and when the influence of Qianlong period painting style remained strong and evident.
For example, see a large Qianlong mark and period famille-rose vase painted with bright enamels and iron-red with landscape panels on a ground of floral design, sold in these rooms, 22nd May 1984, lot 142, and again, 13th November 1990, lot 310; and another Qianlong vase, the body covered with floral decoration, included in the exhibition Ethereal Elegance. Porcelain Vases of the Imperial Qing. The Huaihaitang Collection, Art Museum, Institute of Chinese Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2007, cat. no. 126, together with a Qianlong wall vase, also painted in a related fashion with flower scrolls and upright petals around the base, cat. no. 130.
The ‘dragon and phoenix’ motif is full of auspicious connotations, and vessels decorated with two of the most important mythical animals in Chinese tradition are typically made as wedding gifts. The dragon symbolises the emperor and represents fertility, while the phoenix embodies solar warmth and helps produce male offspring. The dragon, together with the phoenix, the leader of all winged creatures, symbolises the emperor and the empress and represents marital bliss. When the two animals face each other, as seen on this jar when turned, they convey the message of a happy reunion and good omen.
A related jar and cover, but with a slightly varying ruyi band at the shoulder beneath a flower scroll neck and a stylised lappet band at the foot, was sold at Christie’s New York, 15th September 2009, lot 462. Compare also a jar lacking its cover, painted with a similar design overall above a lappet band, sold at Christie’s London, 5th June 1995, lot 170.
此罐上五爪龍以礬紅彩勾勒，氣勢剛陽澎湃，鳳凰則改以粉紅用陰柔筆意繪畫，兩者對比鮮明，相得益彰。背景以素白為地，飾纏枝牡丹、芙蓉，帶乾隆瓷器遺風，為嘉慶早期之典型設計。
參見一乾隆例，帶款，以粉彩礬紅繪開光式山水圖，分别兩度售於香港蘇富比，1982年5月22日，編號142及1990年11月13日，編號310；另一乾隆作例，飾纏枝花紋，展於《機暇清賞：懷海堂藏清代御窯瓷缾》，中國文化研究所文物館，香港中文大學，香港，2007年，編號126。參見同展上一乾隆壁瓶，同纏枝花紋，近足處環飾蓮瓣紋，編號130。
龍鳳為中國傳統神獸之首，富於吉祥意義，故常見於新婚賀禮。龍象徵皇權至高無上，鳳凰則代表太陽寓意多子，亦是皇后之象徵。本品龍鳳呈祥，祝頌連生貴子、婚姻和睦。
參見一相關作例，與本品略異，瓶頸纏枝花紋下環飾如意紋，近足處繪蓮瓣紋，2009年9月15日售於紐約蘇富比，編號462。另一作例瓶蓋佚失，售於1995年6月5日倫敦蘇富比，編號170。
Provenance:
Sotheby's New York, 20th February 1975, lot 289.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 13th November 1990, lot 308.
Sotheby's London, 7th November 2012, lot 103.
紐約蘇富比1975年2月20日，編號289
香港蘇富比1990年11月13日，編號308
倫敦蘇富比2012年11月7日，編號103
Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
