A pair of famille-rose 'butterfly' bowls, the bowls: Marks and period of Yongzheng, the enamels: possibly Yongzheng period or later | 清雍正　粉彩團蝶紋盌一對 《大清雍正年製》款 釉彩為雍正或之後

A Japanese private collection.

Kochukyo Co., Ltd, Tokyo.

Special Exhibition. Chinese Ceramics, Tokyo National Museum, Tokyo, 1994, cat. no. 322.

5th Anniversary Exhibition. All-Stars of the Okada Collection: Masterworks of Korin, Jakuchu, Hokusai and the Ru Ware Kilns, Okada Museum of Art, Hakone, 2018-19, exh. no. 150 (unillustrated).

Fujio Nakazawa, Chinese Ceramics, vol. 11: Official Wares in Qing dynasty, Tokyo, 1996, pl. 45, fig. 62 and back cover.

Kobayashi Tadashi, ed., Masterpieces of the Okada Museum of Art, vol. 1, Tokyo, 2013, no. 32.

With its elegantly pure white body and richly vibrant palette, the present pair of bowls presents a vividly naturalistic scene, epitomising the pinnacle of imperial famille rose porcelain from the Yongzheng reign. Under the supervision of kiln administrator Tang Ying, the Jingdezhen imperial kilns achieved unprecedented artistic heights through innovative revivals of ancient techniques. This butterfly medallion bowl synthesises enamel painting methods with traditional wucai (five-colour) techniques, embodying the singular aesthetic vision of the Yongzheng Emperor 

The exterior of the butterfly medallion bowl is decorated with five pairs of famille rose butterfly rondels, each featuring two butterflies facing each other in flight amidst seasonal flowers, creating a scene of vibrant vitality. The design employs the mogu or boneless painting technique, with layered washes on the wings that break through the limitations of traditional outline drawing, enhancing the dynamic realism of the composition. The ornamentation further embodies the Chinese philosophical concept of the "Three Realms and Five Elements" design principle: Three Realms: Heaven (glaze and pigments), Earth (clay body), and Human (artistic skill), representing a cosmic worldview; Five Elements: The five butterfly medallions correspond to the "Five Calendrical Records" (wuji) from the Classic of History. Additionally, the five medallions allude to the Yongzheng Emperor's reform of the "Five Human Relationships", while also echoing the reproductive metaphor from the Book of Songs: "The locusts' wings are vibrating; May your descendants be numerous!" This intricate layering of cultural symbolism demonstrates exceptional artistic ingenuity 

Yongzheng 'butterfly' bowls of this design are exceptionally rare in extant collections. One example is housed in the Palace Museum, Beijing, published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Enamels and Famille Rose​​, Hong Kong, 2008, pl. 68; another is preserved in the British Museum.

來源

日本私人收藏

壺中居，東京

展覽

《特別展—中国の陶磁》，東京國立博物館，東京，1994年，編號322

《開館5周年記念展―美のスターたち―光琳．若冲．北斎．汝窯など名品勢ぞろい》， 岡田美術館，箱根，2018-19年，展覽編號150（沒載圖）

出版

中沢富士雄，《中国の陶磁》，卷11：清の官窯，東京，1996年，圖版45、圖62及封底

小林忠編，《岡田美術館名品撰》，卷1，東京，2013年，編號32

雍正粉彩團蝶紋盌，胎體潔白雅致，色彩豐富，畫面栩栩如生，為雍正御窰粉彩典範之作。當時景德鎮御窰廠在督陶官唐英帶領下，仿古創新，將雍正朝製瓷工藝推到巔峰。粉彩團蝶紋盌融合琺瑯彩技法與傳統五彩工藝，見證了雍正皇帝的審美情趣。

團蝶紋盌外壁繪粉彩團蝶紋五組，蝴蝶面面相對，飛舞於四季花卉之中，趣意盎然。紋飾採用沒骨畫法多層渲染蝶翼，突破傳統線描局限，使畫面更加生動。紋飾更表現了中國文化「三才五行」的設計哲學。三才​​者為天（釉彩）、地（胎土）、人（巧工）的宇宙觀；五行者以五組團蝶對應《尚書·洪範》之「五紀」（歲、月、日、星辰、歷數）。五組團蝶，更暗合了雍正皇帝推行的「五倫整頓」（君臣、父子、夫婦、兄弟、朋友），至《詩經·小雅》中「螽斯羽詵詵兮，宜爾子孫」的繁衍隱喻，可謂匠心獨運。

雍正粉彩團蝶紋盌傳世品種聊聊可數，北京故宮博物院藏一件載錄於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集．琺瑯彩．粉彩》 ，香港，2008年，圖版68；另一件藏大英博物館。