三彩筆記 vol.57 蘇黎世瑞特堡博物館：唐三彩撒藍釉花卉貼塑注子，玫茵堂收藏 - Tang Sancai Splash Blue Glazed Ewer, Meiyintang Collection, Tang Dynasty

這是一件唐代（8世紀）三彩藍釉貼塑花卉注子，高23厘米，現為瑞士蘇黎世瑞特堡博物館（Museum Rietberg）藏品，編號MYT 1306，來自世界著名的玫茵堂（Meiyintang）收藏永久借展。器物以白色化妝土為底，施以包括藍釉在內的多色鉛釉，並以貼塑技法裝飾花卉，造型優雅，是唐代陶瓷中罕見的精品。同類存世量極為珍稀，大英博物館有一件類似的唐三彩注子，但沒有藍釉。

This is a Tang dynasty (8th century) sancai blue-glazed ewer with floral appliqué decoration, height 23 cm. It is part of the permanent loan from the world-renowned Meiyintang Collection to the Museum Rietberg in Zurich, inventory MYT 1306. The earthenware body is coated with white slip and multicolored lead glazes (including rare blue), adorned with applied floral motifs—an elegant and rare masterpiece of Tang ceramic art.

參考：

三彩筆記 vol.22 麻生太賀吉：唐三彩鳳首注子 - Aso Takakichi, Tang Sancai Eagle Ewer

麻生太郎的父親麻生太賀吉收藏

大英博物館藏唐三彩注子（右一）

唐三彩撒藍釉花卉貼塑注子

年代：唐代，8世紀

材質：陶胎施白色化妝土與多色鉛釉（唐三彩類型）

尺寸：高23厘米

現藏地：瑞士蘇黎世瑞特堡博物館，玫茵堂基金會永久借展（MYT 1306）

器型：注子（ewers / pouring vessel），配有流與柄，通體以貼塑花卉為主要裝飾。

藍釉的珍貴與貼塑三彩的珍稀程度

唐代三彩以綠、黃、白三色為主，藍釉極為罕見。藍色來自中東（伊朗地區）進口的鈷礦料，原料稀缺且價格高昂，因此藍釉器物在唐三彩中屬於頂級珍品，常被視為皇室或貴族專用。

參考：展覽筆記 vol.4 武則天兒子李弘的恭陵藍釉三彩 - Blue Glaze from Tang Emperor and Empress.

此器不僅使用藍釉，更結合「貼塑」技法：先模製花卉紋樣，再貼附於器身，入窯後與三彩釉融合，形成立體浮雕效果。這種貼塑三彩工藝複雜、成功率低，存世數量極少，遠高於普通三彩器，是研究唐代陶瓷裝飾高峰的珍貴實例。

唐代注子（尤其是帶動物首或花卉裝飾的類型）多源自中亞與波斯（薩珊或粟特）金銀器原型。常見的鳳首壺（phoenix-head ewer）或鷹首壺（eagle-head ewer）便是典型代表：流口作鳳或鷹首造型，柄與腹部飾以浮雕花卉或異域紋樣，反映絲綢之路文化交流。此件花卉貼塑注子雖未作動物首，但器型與裝飾手法均延續同一傳統，是唐代陶瓷借鑒外來金銀器並加以本土創新的典範。類似鳳首三彩注子可見於布魯克林博物館、芝加哥藝術學院等館藏。

玫茵堂

玫茵堂收藏由瑞士Zuellig兄弟（Gilbert與Stephen）歷時逾半世紀精心蒐集，是全球最重要的中國陶瓷私人收藏之一。Gilbert專注早期陶瓷（新石器至宋代），Stephen則收藏元明清瓷器。1994年起由著名陶瓷學者Regina Krahl編撰多卷目錄，已成為該領域權威參考書。2012年起，玫茵堂早期陶瓷部分以永久借展形式入藏瑞特堡博物館，向公眾開放，與博物館原有藏品共同展示中國陶瓷從新石器至清代的完整發展脈絡，曾在倫敦大英博物館、紐約、巴黎等地舉辦重要展覽，被譽為「中國陶瓷研究的瑰寶」。

拍賣市場上的同類對比，或其他博物館的同款對比

同類型唐三彩藍釉或藍灑釉貼塑注子在國際拍賣市場極為稀有，近年蘇富比曾推出類似藍灑三彩鳳首注子，估價動輒數十萬至數百萬港元，成交價反映其藝術與稀有價值。

博物館藏品方面，紐約布魯克林博物館、芝加哥藝術學院、阿什莫林博物館等均藏有唐代鳳首或花卉裝飾三彩注子，造型與工藝與本器相近，但藍釉結合貼塑花卉的完整例子極少，玫茵堂此件因保存完美且有明確收藏譜系，更顯珍貴。

Object Name: Ewer with Floral Appliqué

Period: Tang Dynasty, 8th century

Material: Earthenware with white slip and multicolored lead glazes (sancai type)

Dimensions: Height 23 cm

Current Location: Museum Rietberg, Zurich, on permanent loan from the Meiyintang Foundation (MYT 1306)

Form: Ewer (pouring vessel) with spout and handle, primarily decorated with applied floral motifs.

Preciousness of the Blue Glaze and Rarity of Appliqué Sancai

Tang sancai typically features green, yellow, and white glazes; blue glaze is exceptionally rare. The blue derives from imported cobalt ore from the Middle East (Iran region), which was scarce and costly, making blue-glazed pieces among the highest-tier sancai wares, often reserved for imperial or elite use.

This ewer not only employs blue glaze but also the advanced “appliqué” technique: floral motifs are molded separately and applied to the body before firing, creating a three-dimensional relief effect under the sancai glazes. This complex process had a low success rate and survives in very few examples, far rarer than standard sancai vessels, making it a valuable case study of Tang ceramic decoration at its peak.

Prototypes of This Type of Ewer

Tang ewers (especially those with animal-head or floral decoration) often trace their origins to Central Asian and Persian (Sassanian or Sogdian) gold and silver prototypes. Classic examples include phoenix-head ewers (feng shou hu) or eagle-head ewers (ying shou hu), featuring animal-head spouts and relief floral or exotic motifs that reflect Silk Road cultural exchange. Although this floral appliqué ewer does not have an animal head, its form and decorative technique continue the same tradition—an excellent example of Tang potters adapting foreign metalwork into innovative local ceramics. Comparable phoenix-head sancai ewers can be found in the Brooklyn Museum, Art Institute of Chicago, and other institutions.

Importance of the Meiyintang Collection

The Meiyintang Collection was assembled over more than five decades by the Swiss Zuellig brothers (Gilbert and Stephen) and is one of the world’s most important private collections of Chinese ceramics. Gilbert focused on early wares (Neolithic to Song), while Stephen collected Yuan, Ming, and Qing porcelains. Since 1994, leading scholar Regina Krahl has catalogued the collection in multiple authoritative volumes. In 2012, the early ceramics portion was placed on permanent loan to the Museum Rietberg in Zurich, making these masterpieces accessible to the public alongside the museum’s own holdings. The collection has been exhibited at the British Museum, New York, Paris, and elsewhere, and is widely regarded as a “jewel” for the study of Chinese ceramics.

Market and Museum Comparisons

Tang sancai blue-glazed or blue-splashed ewers with appliqué decoration are extremely rare at auction. Similar examples, such as a blue-splashed sancai phoenix-head ewer offered by Sotheby’s, have carried estimates in the hundreds of thousands to millions of HKD, reflecting their artistic and rarity value.

In museum collections, institutions like the Brooklyn Museum, Art Institute of Chicago, and Ashmolean Museum hold comparable Tang phoenix-head or floral-decorated sancai ewers. However, complete examples combining blue glaze with floral appliqué are scarce; this Meiyintang piece stands out for its perfect preservation and impeccable provenance.