拍賣筆記 vol.185 蘇富比香港：坂本五郎，2599.5萬港元成交，元青花纏枝牡丹雲龍紋大罐 - Sakamoto Gorō, An Exceptionally Rare And Superbly Painted Blue And White 'Dragon And Peony' Jar, Yuan Dynasty
- SACA
- Apr 30
- 10 min read
Updated: May 7
龍紋向來象徵權力、地位，元代可見三爪、四爪者，但存世之例寥寥。比較盛名遠播的「大維德瓶」之四爪龍，同飾海浪、纏枝牡丹紋，紀年1351年，現存倫敦大英博物館（館藏編號：PDF,B.613、PDF,B.614）。
400萬起拍，1500萬sonya，1600萬chingyi，1700萬nobu電話，1800萬xiaoye，1900萬nobu，2000萬，2100萬nobu，6602號牌。落槌！
The jar is in very good overall condition. There is a faint star-crack to the shoulder, the two longest prongs each measuring approx. 9 cm. The mouth-rim and outer ring of the base appear to be lightly polished, possibly to conceal firing flaws, including burst bubbles to the rim. There is general light surface wear and other typical firing imperfections, typical of its age and type.
整體品相良好。器肩見淺細分叉衝線，最長約9公分。口沿、足圈可能有輕磨。口沿見爆釉。器面磨痕及窰燒瑕疵均屬正常。
高估價拍品
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現場拍賣開始：
May 7, 10:00 AM HKT
估價
4,000,000 - 8,000,000 HKD
來源
倫敦蘇富比1980年4月15日， 編號233
John Sparks Ltd.，倫敦
The jar is in very good overall condition. There is a faint star-crack to the shoulder, the two longest prongs each measuring approx. 9 cm. The mouth-rim and outer ring of the base appear to be lightly polished, possibly to conceal firing flaws, including burst bubbles to the rim. There is general light surface wear and other typical firing imperfections, typical of its age and type.
整體品相良好。器肩見淺細分叉衝線，最長約9公分。口沿、足圈可能有輕磨。口沿見爆釉。器面磨痕及窰燒瑕疵均屬正常。
本罐見證青花瓷之始，釉下青花描寫雙龍相逐，矯健颯爽，牡丹風華，六姿端麗。畫工精妙高超，張力十足，靈動萌發，生氣盎然，後世難以匹敵。
罐腹最寬處，一分為二，天上人間，兩相輝映。器肩綴雙龍遊嬉卷雲間，此紋飾珍稀罕見，可謂本罐最為特出之紋飾。四爪利銳，龍鱗健足，龍鬚飄揚，龍角崢嶸，展現當朝典型特徵，猶更壯麗懾人。龍紋向來象徵權力、地位，元代可見三爪、四爪者，但存世之例寥寥。比較盛名遠播的「大維德瓶」之四爪龍，同飾海浪、纏枝牡丹紋，紀年1351年，現存倫敦大英博物館（館藏編號：PDF,B.613、PDF,B.614）。
器腹下段的「人間」，綴纏枝牡丹紋，乃此類青花罐最廣得喜愛的紋飾。盛放嬌蕊，爭妍鬥豔，間以纖細柔軟的枝葉相連，環視彷若時而花開，時而微掩，觸動人心，畫藝妙絕，彰顯景德鎮匠人造詣之高。參考相類牡丹紋例，同為坂本五郎舊藏一青花牡丹紋罐，2024年10月29日售於香港蘇富比，編號613。
如此饒富趣味之紋飾設計，十四世紀中期之後幾無復見，更突顯當時的新媒材鈷藍，為元代瓷藝帶來前所未見之審美刺激與火花，首次可以於瓷器上作畫，瓷面如紙，鈷藍為墨，運用青花酣暢淋漓展現畫藝。青花瓷之燒造，徹底改變了中國以至於世界的陶瓷史。前朝已得類同本品之龍紋、纏枝花卉紋，多以模印、刻花作於陶瓷上，然而嶄新的青花技法，精緻華美，風靡全國，朝廷與窰人皆同，致力於燒造出最濃艷細膩的青花瓷。
存世未見與本品龍紋相似元代青花罐，其他綴有龍紋之罐亦稀如晨星。如北京故宮博物院藏一殘例，綴三爪龍紋，頸部飾纏枝花卉紋，1986年出土於景德鎮，錄於《故宮博物院藏元代瓷器》，卷1，北京，2016年，圖版6；另一例為破片重建，罐頸繪纏枝菊紋，牡丹紋下綴回紋，刊於張慶玉編，《元青花》，北京，2017年，頁14；一尺寸更大作例，帶鋪首，作游龍紋與回首龍紋，出土於高安窖藏，紀年1314年，載於《幽藍神采：元代青花瓷器特集》，上海博物館，上海，2012年，圖版61；安宅一件類例，尺寸也較大，曾售於東京佳士得，1969年5月27日，編號179，出版於《展開写真による中国の文様》，東京，1985年，彩圖版9；鄂圖曼宮廷舊藏一見青花罐作四爪龍紋，以如意雲紋相隔下層牡丹紋，刊載於康蕊君，《托普卡比博物館藏中國陶瓷全集》，卷2，倫敦，1986年，圖版586。
FAQ 坂本五郎元青花問答
這件青花纏枝牡丹雲龍紋大罐有什麼特別之處？
這件元代青花纏枝牡丹雲龍紋大罐是青花瓷誕生的非凡見證。它的獨特之處在於其精湛的繪畫技藝，以鮮豔的鈷藍色在器身上描繪出兩條矯健的四爪龍在雲間穿梭，以及六種不同姿態的盛開牡丹。這種高超的繪畫技巧和充滿張力的構圖，在後世難以匹敵。罐身最寬處將紋飾分為「天上」和「人間」兩部分，龍紋在上方，牡丹紋在下方，構思巧妙。特別是器肩上的雙龍遊嬉卷雲紋飾，極其稀有罕見，是本罐最為突出的特色。
這件瓷罐上的龍紋有何典型特徵？
這件瓷罐上的龍紋展現了元代龍紋的典型特徵。龍有四爪，利爪銳利，龍鱗健碩，龍鬚飄逸，龍角崢嶸。龍紋自古以來就象徵著權力與地位，元代可見三爪和四爪的龍紋，但存世的例子非常稀少。與著名的「大維德瓶」上的四爪龍相似，這件瓷罐上的龍紋更加壯麗攝人。
青花瓷在元代有何重要意義？
青花瓷的燒造徹底改變了中國乃至世界的陶瓷史。鈷藍顏料的引入為元代瓷藝帶來了前所未有的審美刺激與火花。首次可以在瓷器上作畫，瓷面如同紙張，鈷藍如同水墨，使得畫家得以酣暢淋漓地展現畫藝。在此之前，類似的龍紋和纏枝花卉紋多以模印或刻花的方式呈現。嶄新的青花技法精緻華美，風靡全國，朝廷和窯匠都致力於燒造出最濃艷細膩的青花瓷。
這件瓷罐上的牡丹紋有何特色？
位於罐腹下段的纏枝牡丹紋，是這類青花罐最受歡迎的紋飾之一。盛開的牡丹嬌蕊爭艷，透過纖細柔軟的枝葉相連，環視時仿佛時而花開、時而微掩，這種動人心弦的描繪方式，巧妙地借鑒了手卷畫的藝術手法，彰顯了景德鎮匠人高超的繪畫造詣和藝術自由。
這種獨特的紋飾設計在十四世紀中期以後為何不再常見？
這種富有趣味的紋飾設計，特別是將龍紋置於上方、牡丹紋置於下方，並在中間形成「天上人間」的巧妙區分，在十四世紀中期之後幾乎不再復見。這進一步突顯了當時鈷藍作為新媒材的創新性和實驗性，為元代瓷藝帶來的獨特美學風貌，而這種風格在之後的時期有所演變。
存世是否有與這件大罐龍紋相似的元代青花罐？
存世未見與這件青花纏枝牡丹雲龍紋大罐龍紋設計完全相似的元代青花罐，其他綴有龍紋的罐子也極其稀有。儘管如此，仍有一些元代青花罐飾有龍紋和花卉紋，可以作為參考比較。例如北京故宮博物院藏有一件出土於景德鎮的殘例，飾有三爪龍紋；還有高安窖藏出土的帶鋪首的龍紋罐，紀年為1314年；以及一些其他機構和收藏的例子，它們在龍紋的配置、爪數以及與其他紋飾的組合上有所不同，但都反映了元代青花瓷的龍紋裝飾風格。
這件瓷罐目前的品相如何？
這件瓷罐整體品相良好。器肩有一處淺細的分叉衝線，最長約9公分。口沿和足圈可能有輕微磨損。口沿見爆釉，這可能是窯燒過程中常見的瑕疵。器面有一些輕微的磨痕和典型的窯燒瑕疵，這些都符合其年代和類型。
這件青花纏枝牡丹雲龍紋大罐的估價和來源是？
這件大罐的估價範圍為4,000,000至8,000,000港元。其來源包括1980年4月15日倫敦蘇富比拍賣會的編號233拍品，以及倫敦的John Sparks Ltd.收藏。
An exceptionally rare and superbly painted blue and white 'dragon and peony' jar, Yuan dynasty | 元 青花纏枝牡丹雲龍紋大罐
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Live auction begins on:
May 7, 10:00 AM HKT
Estimate
4,000,000 - 8,000,000 HKD
Description
the sturdily-potted baluster body surmounted by a short straight neck with a subtly lipped rim, superbly painted around the body in vibrant cobalt blue with two main registers divided at the widest point of the vessel representing heaven and earth, the upper register decorated with a pair of four-clawed dragons soaring sinuously through the clouds, all between borders of cresting waves and stylised upright petals encircling the neck and lower body respectively, the broad foot ring and recessed base unglazed, Japanese wood boxes
d. 34.9 cm; h. 27 cm
Condition Report
Provenance
Sotheby’s London, 15th April 1980, lot 233.
John Sparks Ltd., London.
Catalogue Note
The present guan jar is an extraordinary relic from the birth of blue-and-white porcelain. Featuring a pair of resplendent dragons above a peony bloom viewed from six perspectives, the present jar is decorated in dramatic underglaze blue with an incredible precision and creative flair unparalleled in the centuries to follow.
Divided at its widest point, the jar tells two parallel stories of heaven and earth. Adorning the shoulder, whirling through the clouds, the present pair of dragons represents the rarest and most extraordinary feature of this jar. With four fearsome claws, fluttering hair unfurling from their scaly legs and gnarled antler-like horns, the present dragons are typical of the few dragon designs attested from this period of artistic experimentation but bolder and more dramatically rendered than most. Already long celebrated in the Chinese tradition as symbols of good fortune and power, Yuan dynasty dragons were rendered interchangeably with three and four claws and feature on but a select few iconic extant examples. Compare two related four-clawed dragons, alongside similar waves and peony scrolls, adorning the famous ‘David Vases’ dated in accordance with 1351, now preserved in the British Museum, London (accession nos PDF,B.613 and 614).
The lower ‘earthly’ section, depicting a peony bloom, represents one of the most beloved and well-attested designs for a jar of this type. Divided by richly ‘inked’ scrolling foliage, this peony appears to open and unfurl as the jar is rotated in one’s hand, in a conspicuous nod to the painted handscroll and a testament to the artistic freedom and brilliance of the early Jingdezhen potters. Compare a small number of similar and extraordinary jars featuring prominent peony designs, including a related jar, also from the collection of Sakamoto Gorō, sold for more than twenty-seven million Hong Kong dollars in these rooms, 29th October 2024, lot 613.
This playful design, largely abandoned by the mid-fifteenth century, underscores how groundbreaking the advent of cobalt must have been to the Yuan potters. Allowing artisans to apply decoration like ink on paper and embrace the brilliant white of the porcelain body as a canvas for their creativity, the arrival of cobalt pigments in China fundamentally changed the future of Chinese – and world – ceramics forever. While similar floral and dragon designs had developed in the preceding dynasties, moulded or carved in relief, this brave new world of delicate, variegated painting would soon become an obsession for the imperial court and potters alike, striving to produce the finest decorations in the most enchanting of blues.
To date, no other jars of this dynamic dragon design appear to be known. Indeed, jars from this period featuring a dragon in any configuration are exceedingly rare. For similar guan featuring dragons at the shoulder above a peony scroll, compare a closely related damaged example with three-clawed dragons and a floral scroll to the neck, excavated from Jingdezhen in 1986 and preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing in Porcelains of Yuan Dynasty Collected by the Palace Museum, vol. I, Beijing, 2016, pl. 6; a second very similar guan but for a chrysanthemum scroll at the neck and classic scroll below the peonies, reconstructed from shards in Zhang Qingyu, ed., Blue-and-White Porcelains of Yuan Dynasty, Beijing, 2017, p. 14; a larger handled jar with forward- and backward-looking dragons, excavated from the Gao’an Hoard (dated no earlier than 1314 CE), included in Splendors in Smalt. Art of Yuan Blue-and-White Porcelain, Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, 2012, pl. 61; another larger example of related design sold at Christie's Tokyo, 27 May 1969, lot 179, later in the Ataka Collection, illustrated in The Panoramic Views of Chinese Patterns, Japan, 1985, col. pl. 9; and another with four-clawed dragons separated from peonies by ruyi-shaped lappets, preserved in the Ottoman Court and illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics in the Topkapi Saray Museum, vol. II, London, 1986, pl. 586.
FAQ the Sakamoto Dragon Jar
What are the main decorative elements on the jar?
The jar is decorated with two main registers, symbolizing heaven and earth, at its widest point. The upper register features a pair of four-clawed dragons soaring through clouds, while the lower "earthly" section depicts a peony bloom with scrolling foliage. The neck is encircled by cresting waves, and the lower body by stylized upright petals.
Why is the dragon motif on this jar considered particularly rare and significant?
The source states that this dynamic dragon design appears to be unique among extant Yuan dynasty blue-and-white jars. Jars from this period featuring any dragon configuration are considered exceedingly rare. The four-clawed dragons, while seen on a few iconic examples like the David Vases, are depicted here with exceptional boldness and dramatic rendering, showcasing typical characteristics of the period but with heightened intensity.
How does the peony decoration on the jar demonstrate artistic skill?
The peony bloom is depicted from six perspectives, creating a dynamic effect where the flower appears to open and unfurl as the jar is rotated. This is described as a "conspicuous nod to the painted handscroll" and a testament to the artistic freedom and brilliance of the Jingdezhen potters, showcasing their high level of skill.
What historical significance does this jar hold in the context of ceramics?
The jar is considered an "extraordinary relic from the birth of blue-and-white porcelain." The advent of cobalt pigments in China fundamentally changed Chinese and world ceramics, allowing for painted decoration on porcelain surfaces like ink on paper, which led to a new level of artistic expression and sophistication not widely seen in preceding dynasties where decoration was primarily molded or carved.
How does the jar's design compare to other Yuan dynasty examples?
The source notes that while similar floral and dragon designs existed in preceding dynasties, the intricate painted technique using cobalt blue on this jar is a hallmark of the Yuan period and was a significant departure. The source provides several examples of other rare Yuan dynasty jars featuring dragons or similar motifs, highlighting differences in design elements such as the number of claws, surrounding motifs (chrysanthemum or classic scrolls), and the presence of handles or lappets. However, no other jar with this specific dynamic dragon design is known.
What are the dimensions and condition of the jar?
The jar has a diameter of 34.9 cm and a height of 27 cm. It is described as being in "very good overall condition." There is a faint star-crack on the shoulder measuring approximately 9 cm, and the mouth-rim and outer ring of the base may have been lightly polished, possibly to conceal firing flaws like burst bubbles on the rim. General light surface wear and other typical firing imperfections are also noted.
What is the estimated value and provenance of the jar?
The jar has an estimated value of 4,000,000 - 8,000,000 HKD. Its provenance includes Sotheby’s London, where it was sold on April 15, 1980 (lot 233), and John Sparks Ltd., London.
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