拍賣筆記 vol.268 敏肯霍夫收藏：北宋定窰白釉臥童，142萬港元售出 - Minkenhof Collection, A Rare 'Ding' Figure Of A Sleeping Boy, Northern Song Dynasty, Sold For 139,700 Gbp

定窯的名品中就有童子枕，宋代有很多這樣的形象，被稱為磨喝樂。磨喝樂是源自梵文的音譯詞，最初是佛教神祇「摩睺羅伽」，後來演變成宋代七夕節的流行兒童玩物，一種可愛的泥塑小童偶。這種玩偶的形象通常手持荷葉，寄託著七夕乞巧及祈求多子多福的美好願望。 出了定窯之外，耀州窯也有這類的作品，十分珍稀。

Among the celebrated masterpieces of Ding ware are ceramic boy pillows (tongzi zhen). Such childlike figures were common in the Song dynasty and are known as Mohele (磨喝樂), a term derived from the Sanskrit Mahoraga, originally referring to a serpent deity in Buddhist cosmology. Over time, this image evolved into a popular children’s toy associated with the Qixi Festival, rendered as charming clay figurines of little boys. These figures are often shown holding lotus leaves, symbolizing wishes for skillfulness, prosperity, and fertility. In addition to Ding ware, similar examples were also produced at the Yaozhou kilns, though they are exceedingly rare.

敏肯霍夫先生舊藏

北宋 定窰白釉臥童

VAT reduced rate

拍賣已結束

November 6, 01:06 AM HKT

估價

20,000 - 30,000 GBP

拍品已售

139,700 GBP

描述

 (2)

Length 9.5 cm, 3¾ in.

狀況報告

整體品相良好，小貓、鼓釘及臥童右腳見微磕，臥童鼻部經輕微打磨。

出處

敏肯霍夫先生（1879-1956）舊藏，此後家族傳承

展出

《Chinese Ceramics from the Prehistoric Period through Ch’ien Lung》，洛杉磯縣博物館，洛杉磯，1952年，編號189

圖錄說明

定窰所燒造之人物塑像殊為罕見，尤以此類小尺寸作品更屬稀有。可比較一例婦人枕，售於紐約蘇富比，1973年2月22日，編號108；另見一件臥童像，曾於本公司紐約舉槌，1977年7月5日，編號145，後再售於紐約佳士得，1979年11月20日，編號170。

臥童之題材多見於瓷枕。可參考玫茵堂舊藏一件嬰兒枕，錄於康蕊君，《Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection》，卷三，倫敦，2006年，圖版1428；另見北軒書齋珍藏定窰瓷展錄三例，載於《柏煊書齋 · 定窯》，香港，2013年，圖版14至16，並同刊兩例相關婦人枕，圖版17至18。

PROPERTY FROM THE MINKENHOF COLLECTION

A rare 'Ding' figure of a sleeping boy, Northern Song dynasty

VAT reduced rate

Auction Closed

November 6, 01:06 AM HKT

Estimate

20,000 - 30,000 GBP

Lot Sold

139,700 GBP

wood stand (2)

Length 9.5 cm, 3¾ in.

Condition Report

In overall good condition with chips to the sleeping cat, one drum nail, and the proper right foot of the figure, his nose lightly repolished.

Provenance

Collection of Samuel H. Minkenhof (1879-1956), and thence by descent.

Exhibited

Chinese Ceramics. From the Prehistoric Period through Ch'ien Lung, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, 1952, cat. no. 189.

Catalogue Note

Figures of this type produced at the Ding kilns, particularly in such small scale, are rare. Compare a figure of a reclining woman sold in our New York rooms, 22nd February 1973, lot 108; and a reclining boy sold in these rooms, 5th July 1977, lot 145, and again at Christie’s New York, 20th November 1979, lot 170. Depictions of sleeping boys, however, are more commonly encountered on pillows. Compare, for example, a 'sleeping boy' pillow from the Meiyintang Collection, illustrated in Regina Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. 3, London, 2006, pl. 1428; together with three further examples published in Ding Yao Ceramics from the Beixuan Shuzhai Collection, Hong Kong, 2013, pls. 14-16, and two related 'reclining ladies', pls. 17-18.