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拍品专文
Painted enamels were first imported from Europe during the Kangxi Emperor's reign, and by Qianlong's reign, the Chinese painters had mastered the techniques of producing fine enamel work. Under Qianlong, the artists in the Imperial workshops attained even higher standards in the production, and the painting style evolved, incorporating the Western perspective and other techniques, such as the effect of chiaroscuro, into the traditional Chinese painting style. The Qianlong Emperor preferred painted enamel decoration to be 'dense' and 'delicate', and at the very start of his reign, he was already encouraging the employment of Guangzhou enamellers, attracting many artists who had constant contact with the West through the trading activities and the religious missionaries. Court painters, such as Castiglione and his pupils, were also very influential in the development of the painting style of this period.
Either side of this extraordinary vase is inset with a painted enamel cartouche depicting figures in an idyllic European-style landscape. In contrast to the delicacy of the scenes, the bold and fine casting of the bronze body, finely detailed with waves or cloud designs, showcases the skill of the artisans in the imperial workshops at the time. The leafy scrolls that enclose the scenes are reminiscent of rococo designs, illustrating how Western techniques and aesthetics were adapted and seamlessly integrated into imperial Chinese works of art.
This luxuriously decorated vase is extremely rare and only one other related vase, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, appears to be known. The Palace Museum vase is slightly taller (50.5 cm.) than the present example and is also decorated on either side with painted enamel Western-style scenes similar to those on the present vase. The cast-bronze ground, however, is formed by exaggerated c-scrolls interspersed with painted enamel flowers, and it lacks the blue borders found on the present vase. For illustrations of the Palace Museum vase see Tributes from Guandong to the Qing Court, Hong Kong, 1987, p. 85, no. 46, and E. Rawski and J. Rawson, eds. China, The Three Emperors, 1662-1795, London, 2005, p. 207, no. 119.
Either side of this extraordinary vase is inset with a painted enamel cartouche depicting figures in an idyllic European-style landscape. In contrast to the delicacy of the scenes, the bold and fine casting of the bronze body, finely detailed with waves or cloud designs, showcases the skill of the artisans in the imperial workshops at the time. The leafy scrolls that enclose the scenes are reminiscent of rococo designs, illustrating how Western techniques and aesthetics were adapted and seamlessly integrated into imperial Chinese works of art.
This luxuriously decorated vase is extremely rare and only one other related vase, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, appears to be known. The Palace Museum vase is slightly taller (50.5 cm.) than the present example and is also decorated on either side with painted enamel Western-style scenes similar to those on the present vase. The cast-bronze ground, however, is formed by exaggerated c-scrolls interspersed with painted enamel flowers, and it lacks the blue borders found on the present vase. For illustrations of the Palace Museum vase see Tributes from Guandong to the Qing Court, Hong Kong, 1987, p. 85, no. 46, and E. Rawski and J. Rawson, eds. China, The Three Emperors, 1662-1795, London, 2005, p. 207, no. 119.