拍賣筆記 vol.179 蘇富比香港：思源堂，唐三彩加藍臥牛 - An Blue, Straw And Amber-Glazed Buffalo Tang Dynasty

蘇富比倫敦2020年11月4日思源堂專場拍賣13.86萬英鎊（約143萬港元）售出。藍釉動物件十分罕見，東京國立博物館橫河民輔舊藏的藍釉兔子便是典範。從武則天兒子李弘和哀皇后墓推測，此類藍釉早期可追溯至武則天本人訂製，之後的藍釉，由於鈷藍料來之不易且價格高昂，故應該還是皇家製品。

At Sotheby's London on November 4, 2020, a piece from the Suyuan Tang Collection was sold for £138,600 (approximately HKD 1.43 million). Animal figures glazed in blue are exceedingly rare, with the blue-glazed rabbit formerly in the Yokogawa Tamisuke Collection, now housed in the Tokyo National Museum, standing as a representative example. Based on findings from the tombs of Empress Wu Zetian’s son Li Hong and Empress Ai, it is inferred that early examples of such blue-glazed ware can be traced back to commissions by Wu Zetian herself. Given the scarcity and high cost of cobalt used for the blue glaze, it is likely that subsequent production of blue-glazed ceramics remained restricted to imperial workshops.

Tang Dynasty Blue-Glazed Buffalo Figure

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唐 三彩加藍臥牛

Session begins in

2025 May 7, 02:00 PM CST

Estimate

600,000 - 1,200,000 HKD

來源

思源堂收藏

倫敦蘇富比2020年11月4日，編號234

此臥牛造型生動，姿態恬雅，壯實筋骨與溫順脾性皆活靈活現。塑胎獨具匠心，施釉技藝嫻熟，足可反映唐王朝（618-907年）銳意創新、國富民豐之況。此朝，中國海納百川，受時代所驅，陶匠大膽探索，產瓷高度藝術化。

水牛等牲畜與農耕息息相關，故動物俑多站立，或配軛頭作犁田狀，俯臥之姿甚為少見。此件臥牛偏頭側顧，前蹄舒展，頗具田園清致。通身施藍釉亦屬珍罕，因所用鈷料皆從中亞進口，發色又須窰技精純，故尤為稀貴。動物俑極少大面積用鈷藍，此件用料慷慨，既印證跨境通商之繁茂，又映照造臥牛者之顯貴。

彩陶俑於漢代（公元前206年-公元220年）始作墓葬用。時人以陶塑複製禽畜及日常貴重物什隨墓主人入葬，供其死後使用。至唐代，陶俑製作更加富麗，從而彰顯墓主人地位與財富。此臥牛之類當為公侯貴胄造，於葬禮中隨送殯隊伍遊行過市，將墓主人之顯赫昭示鬼神，亦彰示眾人。

唐代陶俑制式分明，罕有作臥牛者，僅見兩件綠釉臥牛，展於敏求精舍三十五週年紀念展，《好古敏求》，香港藝術館，香港，1995-6年，編號85。另比一件三彩臥獸，藏天理參考館，奈良，錄William Watson，《Tang and Liao Ceramics》，倫敦，1984年，頁230。

大面積施藍釉者，可比兩件騎牛俑，其一展於《Tang Sancai Pottery Selected from the Collection of Alan And Simon Hartman》，國際陶器博覽會與研討會，倫敦，1989年，編號15，其二藏佛利爾美術館，華盛頓特區，藏品編號F1949.26。另比一立驢俑，1956年陝西西安出土，現藏中國國家博物館。

唐代藍釉陶瓷常見問題集

1. 為何唐代藍釉陶瓷，特別是動物塑像，極為稀有且珍貴？唐代藍釉陶瓷之所以極為稀有，主要因為釉色所需的鈷料（氧化鈷）十分罕見且價格高昂。此種顏料須從中亞地區進口，因此屬於極為珍貴的資源。此外，要成功燒製出色澤鮮明、均勻的藍釉，亦需極高超的窯燒技術。材料難得、工藝複雜，致使當時僅有少數器物得以製成，推測多數應為宮廷御用或為高層貴族所訂製。

2. 此件唐代藍釉臥牛與歷史人物及貿易路線有何關聯？資料顯示，最早的藍釉器物可能可追溯至武則天於7世紀末至8世紀初的特別訂製。此後，因使用昂貴的進口鈷料，藍釉器物依然大多屬於宮廷或高官貴族專用。此臥牛上大量施以鮮豔藍釉，反映出唐代國際貿易的繁盛，使得異域珍材得以輸入，亦彰顯了委製者或持有者的非凡財力與地位。

3. 唐代製作像此臥牛的陶塑主要用途為何？唐代精緻的陶塑（包含動物造型）主要作為隨葬明器，陪伴亡者進入來世，象徵生前財富與社會地位。這類器物亦常於葬禮中遊行展示，既向在世者宣示亡者之榮耀，也昭告於陰間神靈。

4. 為何此件臥牛的「臥姿」被認為在唐代陶塑中較為罕見？雖然牛隻作為農業象徵，在唐代墓葬中屢見不鮮，但大多描繪為立姿、備耕作之態。臥姿作品如本例者則極為稀少，反映出一種刻意營造的寧靜牧歌意境，展現了獨特的藝術構思與非凡品味。

5. 此件藍釉臥牛的工藝與細節，透露了唐代何種文化特質？此臥牛比例自然，姿態生動，塑形細膩，釉色鮮明，體現了唐代的繁榮昌盛、藝術創新與高度國際化。唐代經濟發達，對外開放，推動工藝技術進步，陶瓷藝術更因此昇華為高雅藝術。使用稀有進口鈷料，亦突顯了當時帝國財力與全球貿易網絡的廣泛。

6. 有無其他著名的唐代藍釉陶塑案例？本件與之相比有何異同？資料提到，已知大面積施藍釉的唐代動物塑像中，多為立姿。例如兩件乘牛俑（分別曾屬哈特曼收藏與華盛頓自由博物館藏）及一件國家博物館藏的立姿驢俑。相比之下，本件臥牛因其特殊的姿態與藍釉施用的廣度而顯得尤為罕見。其他可比的臥姿動物多施以綠釉或傳統的三彩釉，鮮見如此統一、濃艷的藍釉作品。

7. 本件器物的來源（思源堂收藏及其拍賣紀錄）有何意義？來源記錄對於器物的真偽鑑定及價值評估至關重要。此藍釉臥牛來自備受尊崇的思源堂收藏，並於2020年倫敦蘇富比拍賣中以13.86萬英鎊成交，顯示其稀有性、藝術價值與歷史重要性。完備的來源紀錄，進一步提升了其在學術界與收藏界的信譽與吸引力。

8. 熱釋光檢測（TL檢測）與風格分析對於本器物的定年有何貢獻？熱釋光（TL）檢測（由牛津認證公司出具）透過測量陶瓷內部所累積的輻射劑量，科學地驗證了本件臥牛屬於唐代製品。而風格分析則透過形制、施釉及裝飾技法，與其他已知唐代器物進行對比，進一步確認其時代歸屬與藝術脈絡。科學方法與藝術史方法相結合，對於全面理解並正確認識此類歷史器物至為關鍵。

An Blue, Straw And Amber-Glazed Buffalo Tang Dynasty

19 cm

The dating of this lot is consistent with the result of a thermoluminescence test, Oxford authentication Ltd., no. C111n23.

Provenance

The Sze Yuan Tang collection.

Sotheby’s London, 4th November 2020, lot 234.

Catalogue Note

This figure of a buffalo is impressive for its naturalistic proportions and artistic pose, demonstrating the animal’s innate strength and gentle nature. Its artful modelling and powerful glazing embody the exploratory spirit and prosperous economy of the Tang empire (618-907). During this period, China was highly cosmopolitan, which encouraged the potters to elevate ceramics into an art form.

Strongly associated with agriculture, figures of domestic animals such as buffaloes were commonly crafted standing and harnessed in a position to plough. The reclining pose, however, is uncommon among extant examples. With one leg stretched out and the head turned aside, the present figure captures the buffalo’s bucolic character, evoking the essence of a pastoral life. This figure is also exceptional for its generous application of cobalt oxide, which was extremely hard to achieve because the material was imported from Central Asia and demanded kiln mastery. Very few ceramic figures of animals appear with such extensive coverage of cobalt, and the use in this piece corroborates the prosperity of interregional trade and the wealth of its owner.

Glazed pottery figures were first endowed with funerary importance in the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE). People buried reproductions of valuable animals and daily objects to accompany the deceased in their tombs, entrusting them to serve the deceased in the afterlife. During the Tang, these wares became considerably richer in colouration and ornamentation to signify status and wealth. Commissioned by aristocratic families, figures like the present were paraded through the city centres at funeral processions to manifest the owner’s eminence, both to the spirits and the people participating in the rite.

While most Tang tomb figures show a certain level of standardisation, depictions of reclining buffaloes are scarce, and only two green-glazed buffaloes in closely related posture appear to survive, exhibited by the Min Chiu Society and illustrated in In Pursuit of Antiquities, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1995-6, cat. no. 85. Also, compare a reclining sancai-glazed mythical beast in the collection of the Tenri Sankokan Museum, Nara, illustrated in William Watson, Tang and Liao Ceramics, London, 1984, p. 230.

For examples predominantly glazed in blue, see a standing buffalo with a rider included in the exhibition Tang Sancai Pottery Selected from the Collection of Alan And Simon Hartman, the International Ceramics Fair and Seminar, London, 1989, cat. no. 15; another in the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., accession no. F1949.26; and a standing donkey, excavated in 1956 from Xi’an, Shaanxi, now conserved in the National Museum of China.

Frequently Asked Questions on Tang Dynasty Blue-Glazed Ceramics

1. What makes blue-glazed Tang Dynasty ceramics, particularly animal figures, so rare and valuable? Blue-glazed ceramics from the Tang Dynasty are exceptionally rare due to the scarcity and high cost of the cobalt oxide used to create the blue color. This pigment was imported from Central Asia, making it a precious commodity. Furthermore, achieving a vibrant and consistent blue glaze required significant mastery of kiln firing techniques. The limited availability of the material and the expertise needed for successful firing meant that only a select few pieces, likely those produced in imperial workshops for the elite, were ever created.

2. How does the blue glaze on this Tang Dynasty reclining buffalo connect to historical figures and trade routes? The text suggests that the earliest examples of blue-glazed ware might be linked to commissions by Empress Wu Zetian in the late 7th and early 8th centuries. The subsequent use of expensive, imported cobalt blue further implies that such pieces remained associated with the imperial court or high-ranking individuals. The generous application of cobalt blue on the reclining buffalo underscores the flourishing interregional trade during the Tang Dynasty, which facilitated the import of such exotic materials, and the considerable wealth of the individual who commissioned or owned the piece.

3. What was the primary purpose of creating pottery figures like this reclining buffalo during the Tang Dynasty? During the Tang Dynasty, elaborately crafted pottery figures, including animals, served as funerary objects. They were placed in tombs to accompany the deceased into the afterlife, representing valuable possessions and signifying the status and wealth of the tomb occupant. These figures were often paraded through city centers during funeral processions, publicly displaying the deceased's eminence to both the living and the spiritual realm.

4. Why is the reclining pose of this buffalo considered unusual for Tang Dynasty pottery figures? While animal figures like buffaloes were common in Tang Dynasty tombs due to their association with agriculture, they were typically depicted standing and often harnessed for plowing. The reclining pose, as seen in this piece, is significantly less common. This deviation from the standard form suggests a deliberate artistic choice, perhaps intended to capture a more peaceful, pastoral scene, further highlighting the uniqueness of this particular figure.

5. What does the quality and detail of this blue-glazed reclining buffalo reveal about the Tang Dynasty? The naturalistic proportions, artistic pose, skillful modeling, and vibrant blue glaze of this reclining buffalo are testaments to the Tang Dynasty's prosperity, artistic innovation, and cosmopolitan nature. The era witnessed significant economic growth and an openness to foreign influences, which spurred artisans to experiment and elevate ceramics to a high art form. The exceptional use of imported materials like cobalt further reflects the wealth and extensive trade networks of the Tang empire.

6. Can you provide examples of other known Tang Dynasty ceramics with significant blue glaze and how this buffalo compares to them? The text mentions a few comparable examples, though most with extensive blue glaze feature standing figures. These include two riding buffalo figures (one formerly in the Hartman Collection, the other in the Freer Gallery of Art) and a standing donkey in the National Museum of China. The reclining buffalo stands out due to its posture and the generous application of blue glaze, which is rare even among the known examples of blue-glazed Tang ceramics. Most other comparable reclining animal figures are glazed in green or the more common sancai (three-color) palette.

7. What is the significance of the provenance, specifically the Sze Yuan Tang Collection and its auction history, for this piece? The provenance of a piece, tracing its ownership history, is crucial for authentication and understanding its value. The fact that this blue-glazed reclining buffalo was part of the esteemed Sze Yuan Tang Collection and was sold at Sotheby's London in 2020 for a substantial sum (£138,600) underscores its rarity, artistic merit, and historical significance. Such a documented history adds to its credibility and desirability among collectors.

8. How do thermoluminescence testing and stylistic analysis contribute to the dating and understanding of this Tang Dynasty ceramic? Thermoluminescence (TL) testing, as indicated by the Oxford Authentication Ltd. result, provides scientific evidence supporting the Tang Dynasty dating of the piece based on the accumulated radiation dose within the ceramic material. Stylistic analysis, which involves comparing the form, glazing techniques, and decorative elements with other known Tang Dynasty artifacts, further corroborates the dating and helps to contextualize the piece within the broader artistic trends of the period. Both scientific and art historical methods are essential for a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of such historical objects.