倫敦11月6日拍賣的這對五彩魚藻罐備受關注，原因是其估價十分保守，僅是人民幣600-1000萬左右一對，而此前同類一隻曾拍過超過2億的高價。
瞬時間人人期待撿漏，而蘇富比倫敦面臨的問題就是海外的客人並不是都可以飛過去看實物，而體量感，臨場感又十分重要。
另外，全世界43件的存量，算多還是算少，也要看買家的理解角度。
拍賣現場（英鎊）：9630萬港元成交
60萬起拍，65，直接叫100、直接叫200、直接叫250、260、300萬電話直接叫，任何想撿漏的人都被滅了。
320線上、350電話、380萬電話、400萬電話、420萬網絡、430電話、450網絡、460電話、470線上、500萬電話、510萬電話、520萬線上、530萬電話、540萬現場、550萬電話、560萬現場、570萬電話、580網絡、仍然有三個人在搶，590萬電話、600萬電話、610萬電話，現在增加到4個買家。
競爭異常的激烈，620萬電話，估計可以看到630萬電話，在Henry司徒河偉的手下，無漏可言，還有一個在線上按640的買家。650萬立刻電話還擊，毫不猶豫、660萬電話，670萬馬上還擊。680萬線上！！690萬電話⋯⋯
這樣的器物，價格無漏，700萬線上。非常強大，710萬電話。720萬線上，730萬電話。740萬電話，還是3個人還在堅持，750萬電話，760萬電話，這樣三個人一直在堅持，770萬電話。780萬線上，電話790萬，800萬電話。三個人，價格可能是1個億以上了。
810萬電話，現在一個電話、一個網絡對抗，一個人放棄了，一次、二次、落槌！820萬電話，亨利哥差點落槌，又被他的左手抓住，現在回到3個人的競賽。國際品種，才是有爆發力的品種，日本、香港、中國、海外的人都愛。830萬！電話，落槌！！
第一罐：
第二罐：
The pair of colorful fish and algae jars set to be auctioned in London on November 6th has garnered significant attention, primarily due to its highly conservative estimate of only around RMB 6-10 million for the pair. This is especially striking considering that a similar single jar previously fetched over RMB 200 million.
Many are anticipating a possible "bargain," but Sotheby’s London faces the challenge that not all overseas clients can travel to view the items in person, while the sense of scale and presence is quite essential.
Moreover, with a known quantity of 43 pieces worldwide, whether this is considered "a lot" or "a few" depends on the buyer's perspective.
PROPERTY FROM A DISTINGUISHED EUROPEAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
An exceptionally rare and magnificent pair of wucai 'fish' jars and covers, Marks and period of Jiajing
Premium Lot
Live auction begins on:
November 6, 06:30 PM HKT
Estimate
600,000 - 1,000,000 GBP
描述
the base of each jar with a six-character mark in underglaze blue, wood stands (6)
Overall height of larger 45.8 cm, 18 in.
狀況報告
出處
於1926年前藏於德國威斯巴登Haus Rosselhöh，此後家族傳承
著錄
《 Deutsche Kunst und Dekoration, Wohnungskunst, Malerei, Plastik, Architektur, Gärten, Künstlerische, Frauen, Arbeiten, Haus Rosselhöh in Wiesbaden 》，達姆斯塔特，1926年
《Modernes Haus im zeitlosen Stil》， 約1953年
仙池魚戲福無極
康蕊君
此對蓋罐繪五彩魚池，光艷明媚，一處陳設，滿室煥然。池水空明，有蓮荷、藻荇漂曳交橫，金鯉浮游其間，律動清妙，悅目賞心。筆觸質樸，器形圓實，兩相結合尤惹人愛。嘉靖帝（1522–1566年在位）篤奉道教，問道天師，對至福極樂精勤求索，為合聖意，此朝陶工、畫匠頗善描繪天福景象。
朝堂之上，嘉靖帝受道教思想潛移默化。起初，天子無嗣，欲求良藥以治不育，日久歲深，轉而尋訪仙丹以期長生。自1542年起，嘉靖帝不堪朝政紛擾，隱居御花園以西，心無旁騖一意修道。上行下效，宮廟、道觀工程頻起，瓷器訂燒亦規模空前，御窰作坊無力包攬，只得借用商業窰口共同產燒。值此御窰委外之際，窰業推陳出新，較之此前弘治（1488–1505年）、正德（1506–1521年）二朝，發展蓬勃。
嘉靖一朝大量產瓷，既有日常用器，飲食具等，亦有道教禮器。此朝跨度四十四年，除首尾各七年無記錄可考，中間三十年（1529至1559年）有御瓷名錄在案，可知訂燒瓷器中青花佔絕大多數——如1542年記有一筆，產青花魚蓮紋罐兩百件——其餘瓷器或為單色或為雙色。[1]彩瓷無訂燒記錄，並非天子不喜，而是技術所限。記錄所載三十年間，彩瓷幾無踪跡，直至此朝最後七年乃得產燒，然彩瓷備受青睞，於同時期設色富麗之道教繪畫中可見一斑。[2]
彩瓷雖非此朝首創，然江西景德鎮御窰廠所產諸類卻無一能出嘉靖五彩魚藻紋罐之右。其發端可溯至宣德朝（1426–1435年），五彩橫空出世，開釉下青花釉上彩之先河，於成化朝（1465–1487年）又得精進，乃有闘彩，成器小巧玲瓏；至弘治、正德時，五彩（或鬪彩）已鮮有聞。空白期（1436–1464年）產瓷不帶年款，為御瓷史上特殊階段，近年窰址考古表明，空白期曾大量試燒五彩瓷。有坐墩殘片出土，可知原件魁碩，鏤雕紋飾，釉下青花釉上施彩，原置於庭院，然無完整件存世至今。[3]此前，景德鎮窰匠從未產出這等五彩瓷器大件，亦不曾啟用橙黃色調及帶黑彩之配色。
嘉靖魚藻紋罐之所以與眾不同，金黃彩功不可沒；中國視金鯉為祥瑞，以金黃彩演繹金鯉形貌，惟妙惟肖。先施黃彩初次入窰，再加礬紅複窰燒製，此為嘉靖朝獨創，工序複雜。礬紅黃彩亦用於小罐，尤宜描摹鯉魚金鱗，然未幾棄用，或因太過繁瑣。除費時耗力外，五彩設色寫實，如此對蓋罐所見，窰匠自如揮灑不足為難，至十八世紀，彩料色譜大增，窰匠畫技更求精微。
此魚藻紋以黑色新出彩料勾勒輪廓、刻畫細節，並為魚目點睛，活靈活現；鯉魚側身線條及鱗片排布亦用黑彩，魚身游動之姿、翻轉之態盡覽無遺，更令人稱絕。此前瓷器，乃至丹青筆墨，均未見描繪自然情狀入微至此。
嘉靖帝醉心道教，上至朝堂官員、宗室機構，下及諸御製作坊，無人不曉。自1540年代起，瓷雜工藝品皆用道教紋飾。為道教科儀專造瓷器不在少數，部分瓷器更帶道教款識[4]，且大多所繪紋飾與道教長生信仰有關，如仙人、八卦、鹿、鶴、松、桃、靈芝等。林業強研究嘉靖年款之演變，稱此朝寫款亦受道教影響。本對底款便用「符籙體」。[5]
魚藻紋非寥寥數筆之道教符號，而是將游魚至於水藻間之場景畫面。魚乃道家常見意向，《莊子》成書於公元前四世紀，其中一篇記述道家鼻祖莊子與名家惠子論及魚樂，史稱濠梁之辯，機鋒睿語間，莊子似佔上風：
莊子曰：「鯈魚出遊從容，是魚之樂也。」
惠子曰：「子非魚，安知魚之樂？」
莊子曰：「子非我，安知我不知魚之樂？」
惠子曰：「我非子，固不知子矣，子固非魚也，子之不知魚之樂，全矣。」
莊子曰：「請循其本。子曰汝安知魚樂云者，既已知吾知之而問我，我知之濠上也。」[6]
長久以來，文人水墨多以魚戲為題材，魚戲圖並非單純寫照自然，更直指道家思想。1291年，先於嘉靖二百餘載，周東卿繪成《魚樂圖》，題跋首句即「非魚豈知樂」[7]，圖卷現藏大都會藝術博物館。
此類蓋罐於嘉靖宮廷所為何用已不得而知，其形制常喚作酒罐，或暗含實情。本朝訂燒瓷器名錄所記罐者多不勝數（其中一筆，命窰廠燒龍鳳紋罐一萬件），然對其用處未加詳言。訂燒祭器中不含罐，且於道教科儀而言，此類蓮塘魚藻紋飾未免太過華美。
明代器物甚少成對，而嘉靖魚藻紋罐卻多以對入藏，其中有老藏一二（Ernest Grandidier及亨利・詹姆斯），可溯至清朝（1644–1911年）。此對蓋罐由一德國家族珍藏已逾百年，曾有藝術與裝潢類書冊配圖刊登（圖一），圖片攝於該家族威斯巴登舊宅，後宅邸毀於戰時；除此之外，本對再無見載。
嘉靖魚藻紋罐已屬珍罕，帶蓋者更為稀貴；無論帶蓋與否，現今私人收藏中唯此二件成對。成對類例原有六，其中三對帶蓋、三對失蓋。除本對外，僅一對蓋罐仍保存成對，Ernest Grandidier（1833–1912年）舊藏，現存吉美博物館，巴黎（收藏編號G4117a及b；圖二），其中一件刊於《Oriental Ceramics. The World’s Great Collections》，卷7，東京、紐約及舊金山，1981年，彩圖22；另兩對現已分散。私人所藏單件蓋罐僅三例，其中兩例為暫得樓寶蓄，第三例為Walters舊藏，詳情如下。
Henry Walters（1848–1931年）舊藏中原有一對嘉靖魚藻紋蓋罐，後蓄於Walters藝術博物館，巴爾的摩，而後分散，一件仍存該館，圖見Hiram W. Woodward, Jr，《Asian Art in the Walters Art Gallery. A Selection》，巴爾的摩，1991年，圖版23，另一件則售於紐約蘇富比2012年9月11 / 12日，編號262（封面拍品）。
第三對蓋罐為胡惠春（1911–1995年）舊藏，現亦分散，一件售於紐約蘇富比1985年6月4日，編號12（封面拍品），另一件三度易手，先後售於紐約蘇富比1992年12月1日，編號282（封面拍品），香港蘇富比2000年10月29日，編號18，及香港佳士得2017年11月27日樂從堂專場，編號8006（封底拍品），其中1992年及2000年兩次蘇富比拍賣均創下成交價世界紀錄。
一對無蓋，收於白鶴美術館，神戶，圖見《白鶴美術館蔵品図録》，神戶，1988年，圖版121及122。
上海博物館亦有嘉靖魚藻紋罐兩件，無蓋，可湊成對，錄陸明華，《上海博物館藏品研究大系・明代官窰瓷器》，上海，2007年，圖版3-88及3-89。
第六對魚藻紋罐無蓋藏於Medeiros e Almeida博物館，里斯本，見Maria Antónia Pinto de Mato著《The RA Collection of Chinese Ceramics. A Collector’s Vision》，倫敦，2011年，冊1，頁216，圖32。
再比一對魚藻紋罐無蓋，破損嚴重，或因宮中失火所致，先後經知名作家亨利・詹姆斯（1843–1916年）、Charles A. Dana及哈佛藝術博物館遞藏，又分別售於紐約佳士得2009年3月19日，編號719（紅彩損失，已不可見）及編號721（頸為後配）。
1955年，北京市朝陽區出土一例同紋飾蓋罐，現已入藏中國國家博物館，北京，錄《中國國家博物館館藏文物研究叢書・瓷器卷・明代》，上海，2007年，圖版84；另一例，藏故宮博物院，北京，錄《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集・五彩鬪彩》，香港，1999年，圖版15。
此類罐紋飾規制相同，皆繪八尾鯉魚，其中四尾較大，間隔四尾較小，大小各兩尾向右、兩尾向左，或直挺向前或側身轉向，游曳多姿。四周分佈蓮荷、藻荇，其格局有章可循，乃因施釉入窰前先繪青花，為後續加彩打定框架。魚藻紋畫風奔逸，不拘一格亦不盡相同，可見造罐窰匠人數成群。
FAQ: Chinese Wucai ‘Fish’ Jars
What are Chinese Wucai ‘Fish’ Jars?
Chinese Wucai ‘Fish’ Jars are a type of large, covered porcelain jar decorated with a colorful overglaze enamel design of fish swimming among water plants. They are considered a highly significant type of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) porcelain, particularly those dating to the Jiajing period (1522-1566). The jars are renowned for their vibrant colors, dynamic compositions, and association with Daoist themes of longevity and harmony with nature.
How many known examples of these jars exist?
Only 43 examples of these jars are currently known to exist.
Where are these jars located?
Of the 43 known jars:
15 are in private hands: 5 of these have original or replacement porcelain covers.
12 are in museums outside of China, appearing to have covers.
6 are in Chinese museums: 3 of these (in the Palace Museum, National Museum of China, and Tianjin Municipal Art Museum) have covers.
Why are Jiajing-era ‘Fish’ Jars so rare?
Several factors contribute to their rarity:
Complex Production: Creating these jars involved a multi-step, labor-intensive process of painting in underglaze blue and then applying overglaze enamels, including a difficult iron-red-over-yellow technique that was unique to the Jiajing period.
Imperial Patronage: As imperial wares, they were likely produced in limited quantities, primarily for the Jiajing Emperor, who was deeply interested in Daoism and the symbolism of these motifs.
Fragility: Porcelain is a fragile material, and large jars, especially those with covers, are prone to damage over time. Many may have been lost due to accidents, natural disasters, or wartime destruction.
Rarity of Pairs: While many surviving jars were once part of pairs, very few remain together. One complete pair is in the Musée Guimet in Paris, and no other complete pairs appear to remain in private hands.
What is the significance of the fish imagery?
In Chinese culture, fish, particularly carp, symbolize abundance, wealth, and good fortune. The carp's ability to swim against the current and transform into a dragon (according to legend) also associates it with perseverance, strength, and spiritual transformation.
Why is the depiction of fish in a water setting relevant to Daoism?
Daoism emphasizes living in harmony with nature, and the ‘Fish’ jars beautifully illustrate this concept. The tranquil scenes of fish gliding through water among lotus plants and other aquatic vegetation represent a balanced ecosystem. These motifs resonate with Daoist ideas about finding peace and fulfillment through an attunement to the natural world.
Why were so many ‘Fish’ jars made during the Jiajing Emperor's reign?
The Jiajing Emperor (r. 1522-1566) was a devout Daoist who actively sought immortality and spiritual enlightenment. He commissioned numerous works of art reflecting Daoist themes and beliefs. The ‘Fish’ jars, with their auspicious symbolism and harmonious imagery, would have resonated with the emperor's spiritual aspirations and his desire to cultivate a Daoist-inspired environment at court.
What are some notable examples of these jars and their provenance?
Several ‘Fish’ jars have distinguished provenances and have achieved significant prices at auction. Here are a few examples:
J.M. Hu Jars: Two jars that were once part of the renowned J.M. Hu Collection have appeared at auction separately, achieving record-breaking prices. One was sold in 1985 and the other in 1992, 2000, and 2017.
Walters Jar: One jar from a pair originally in the Walters Art Museum was sold at Sotheby's New York in 2012. Its mate remains in the museum.
Musée Guimet Pair: This museum in Paris holds the only known complete pair with covers, acquired from the collection of Ernest Grandidier in the late 19th or early 20th century.
Haus Rosselhöh Pair: Recently auctioned in 2023, these jars have a provenance dating back to at least 1926, when they were part of the furnishings of the Haus Rosselhöh in Wiesbaden, Germany, before the home was destroyed during World War II.
什麼是中國五彩“魚藻罐”？
中國五彩“魚藻罐”是一種大型的有蓋瓷罐，以五彩繪畫裝飾，描繪魚在水草間游動的圖案。這些罐子是明代（1368-1644）瓷器中的重要類型，尤其是嘉靖年間（1522-1566）的作品。這些罐子以其鮮豔的色彩、動態的構圖，以及與道教的長壽與自然和諧主題的聯繫而聞名。
目前已知這些罐子有多少件？
目前已知的這些罐子僅有43件。
這些罐子分佈在哪裡？
在已知的43件罐子中：
15件在私人收藏中，其中5件保留了原蓋或配有替代蓋。
12件在中國以外的博物館中，似乎都帶有蓋子。
6件在中國博物館中，其中3件（分別在故宮博物院、中國國家博物館和天津市藝術博物館）帶有蓋子。
為什麼嘉靖時期的“魚藻罐”如此稀有？
以下幾個因素導致了這些罐子的稀有性：
複雜的製作工藝：製作這些罐子需要經過多步驟、勞動密集的工藝，先以青花繪畫，再加上彩繪裝飾，其中包含嘉靖時期獨有的難度極高的紅黃疊色技術。
皇家御用：作為御用器物，這些罐子可能是專為嘉靖皇帝所製，數量相對有限。嘉靖皇帝對道教及其象徵符號非常感興趣。
脆弱性：瓷器本身脆弱，特別是這些大型帶蓋的罐子，隨著時間的推移容易受損。很多可能因事故、自然災害或戰爭損壞而遺失。
成對的稀缺：儘管許多現存的罐子原本為成對，能完整保存成對的罐子非常少見。巴黎吉美博物館擁有唯一一對帶蓋的完整“魚藻罐”，私人收藏中則沒有完整的成對留存。
魚的圖像有什麼象徵意義？
在中國文化中，魚，特別是鯉魚，象徵著豐富、財富與吉祥。鯉魚逆流而上並變成龍的傳說，也使其與毅力、力量及精神上的轉化聯繫在一起。
為什麼魚的水中場景與道教相關？
道教強調與自然和諧共處，而“魚藻罐”恰好生動地表現了這一概念。魚在蓮花等水生植物間悠游的平靜場景代表了一種平衡的生態系統，這些圖案與道教所追求的通過與自然的和諧相處來獲得平靜與滿足的理念相呼應。
為什麼嘉靖年間製作了這麼多“魚藻罐”？
嘉靖皇帝（1522-1566在位）是一位虔誠的道教信徒，積極追求長生不老與精神上的啟蒙。他委託創作了許多具有道教主題的藝術作品。“魚藻罐”以其吉祥的象徵意義和和諧的圖像契合了皇帝的精神追求及他在宮廷中營造道教氛圍的願望。
有哪些著名的“魚藻罐”及其來源？
一些“魚藻罐”擁有著名的來源，並在拍賣中達到高價。以下是幾個例子：
胡惠春收藏罐：曾屬於著名的胡惠春收藏的兩件“魚藻罐”分別在1985年、1992年、2000年和2017年拍賣中屢創記錄。
沃爾特斯罐：曾為沃爾特斯藝術博物館收藏的一對“魚藻罐”中的一件在2012年紐約蘇富比拍賣，而其配對的另一件仍留在博物館中。
吉美博物館成對罐：位於巴黎的吉美博物館擁有唯一一對帶蓋的完整“魚藻罐”，是來自格朗迪迪耶（Ernest Grandidier）在19世紀末或20世紀初的收藏。
羅瑟霍伊之家成對罐：最近於2023年拍賣的這對罐子，其來源可追溯至1926年，當時它們是德國威斯巴登羅瑟霍伊之家的裝飾之一，該宅在二戰中被毀。
ELYSIAN CALM FOR A DAOIST EMPEROR
REGINA KRAHL
The colourful ponds on these jars emit such positive vibrations that they instantly brighten up their environment. The transparent waters, which let us follow the quiet movement of golden carp and a rich flora of lotus and other plants swaying in tune, cannot fail to have a soothing effect on our minds. The bold, unaffected painting style and the pleasing roundness of their form are designed to make these massive vessels irresistibly endearing. Potters and painters working for the Jiajing Emperor (r. 1522–1566) knew how to evoke the Elysian calm that he strove to achieve and that his Daoist masters endeavoured to convey to him.
At the Jiajing court, Daoist adepts held a powerful sway over the Emperor. What had begun as a search for fertility drugs, since the Emperor was without a son, over time turned into a broader search for immortality elixiers. From 1542 onwards the Emperor retreated from the political turmoil of the Forbidden City to imperial gardens further west, and devoted himself completely to the pursuit of immortality. Much building work of temples and palace halls was undertaken to this effect and ceramics were commissioned at such unprecedented scale that the imperial workshops were unable to fulfil all orders and had to rope in commercial kilns to boost the output. This partial out-sourcing of the manufacture of imperial porcelains must have had an invigorating effect and favoured innovation of a porcelain industry, which during the previous periods, Hongzhi (1488–1505) and Zhengde (1506–1521), had hardly developed.
In the Jiajing period, large quantities of ceramics were ordered both for daily life, including many complete food services, and for Daoist worship. The Order List of imperial porcelains, which is preserved except for the records of the first and the last seven years of the reign, shows that – at least in the years between 1529 and 1559 – the vast majority of orders were for blue-and-white porcelains, including an order for two hundred underglaze-blue jars with carp in lotus pond design in the year 1542, and the rest is for monochrome or bi-chrome vessels.[1] That no orders for polychrome vessels are found is most likely not due to taste than to availability. It suggests that they were hardly made in the years covered by the extant records, but probably largely in the last seven years of the reign. That polychromy in general was highly appreciated is corroborated by the many brightly coloured Daoist paintings of the period.[2]
Polychrome porcelain was not new in the Jiajing reign, but the kilns at Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, had never achieved anything approaching the grandeur of these ‘fish jars’. The first successful experiments with wucai, ‘five colour’, decoration, combining underglaze blue with overglaze enamels, date back to the Xuande reign (1426–1435) and the Chenghua period (1465–1487) saw a successful production line of fine but very small items in a related polychrome style (doucai, ‘dovetailed colours’); from the Hongzhi and Zhengde periods hardly any wucai (or doucai) is known. Archaeological exploration of the kiln sites has in recent years brought to light evidence for an astonishing amount of experimentation during the Interregnum (1436–1464), a period, whose lack of reign marks had suggested a total gap of imperial production. Unearthed have been fragments of highly ambitious, large garden seats with openwork decoration, painted in underglaze blue and bright enamel colours, but no complete examples of such works seem to have seen the light of day.[3] Jingdezhen’s potters had never before successfully created such large polychrome vessels; and they had never used this colour scheme with its orange tones and with black enamel.
What makes Jiajing ‘fish jars’ visually stand out is the striking golden-orange enamel colour, developed to do justice to the splendid appearance of China’s beloved golden carp. An invention of the Jiajing potters, and peculiar to that period, the application of iron red over an already fired yellow enamel made the working procedure laborious. It was at the same time also used for some smaller jars, but although it is uniquely suited to depict the golden scales of fishes, it was soon abandoned again, probably because it was considered too onerous. Colour realism as achieved on these jars had otherwise never been a particular concern of the porcelain painters, until much later, in the eighteenth century, the enamel palette had been much enlarged.
The new black pigment was judiciously used in the present design for rendering outlines and details, as well as the fishes’ distinct eyes. More remarkable, however, is its subtle employment to indicate the lateral line of the carp, a line of pored scales that runs midway across their bodies and represents a sensory system vital to their orientation and detection of movement. Such detailed observation of nature is not found on earlier painted porcelains, and not even in ink paintings.
The Daoist addiction of the Jiajing Emperor was clearly so universal that it informed not only the officialdom at court, but all imperial institutions and thus also the various imperial workshops. From the 1540s onwards, Daoist motifs became ubiquitous on Chinese works of art. Many porcelains were produced specifically for use in Daoist rituals, some are even inscribed to the effect,[4] and a majority bears the emblematic symbols of longevity popular in Daoist lore, like Immortals, trigrams, deer, cranes, pines, peaches, lingzhi, etc. Peter Lam has researched the development of the Jiajing imperial reign mark and detected Daoist influence even there. The style of script used for the marks on the present jars he identified as ‘Daoist charm script’.[5]
The decoration of our ‘fish jars’ is special as it is not composed of short-hand Daoist tokens, but its scenic depiction of fish in their natural habitat relates a story. Fish were a frequent subject of Daoist allegories and one of the most popular is the well-known passage in the book Zhuangzi, of the fourth century BC, which renders a witty exchange between the Daoist master and Huizi, a Confucian scholar, about the pleasures of fishes, which Zhuangzi begins and triumphantly ends, obviously having retained the upper hand:
“See how the minnows come out and dart around where they please! That’s what fish really enjoy!”
“You’re not a fish – how do you know what fish enjoy?”
“You’re not I, so how do you know I don’t know what fish enjoy?”
“I’m not you, so I certainly don’t know what you know. On the other hand, you’re certainly not a fish – so that still proves you don’t know what fish enjoy!”
“Let’s go back to your original question, please. You asked me how I know what fish enjoy – so you already knew I knew it when you asked the question. I know it by standing here beside the [river] Hao.”[6]
Ink paintings of fishes had long been a popular genre of literati painting and that they were not simply observations of nature but direct references to Daoist thinking already long before the Jiajing reign corroborates a painting of fishes by Zhou Dongqing, of 1291, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which the painter has inscribed with a colophon beginning “Not being fish, how do we know their happiness?” (fig.2 ).[7]
FIG. 2. THE PLEASURES OF FISHES, ZHOU DONGQING, DATED 1291
© METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK
圖二 元 周東卿 魚樂圖 卷 紐約大都會博物館
We do not know what function these jars would have had in the Jiajing Emperor’s palace. Guan jars, as this shape is known, are often called wine jars, which may be correct, but in the court’s Order Lists of porcelains, which included requests for thousands of jars (including a single order of 10,000 jars with dragon-and-phoenix design), their purpose is unfortunately not stipulated.
Guan jars are not included among special commissions of sacrificial vessels, and the lotus-pond decoration of the present pieces would in any case seem too picturesque to have been suitable for Daoist rituals.
While the assemblage of items in pairs is otherwise not typical of the Ming period, it is noteworthy that Jiajing ‘fish jars’ had been preserved as pairs in several old collections, of which at least one and probably two (Grandidier and Henry James) are going back to the Qing dynasty (1644–1911). The present pair has been in the same German family collection for about a century, if not longer. It can be seen in situ in the ‘Ladies room’ of the family home in Wiesbaden, Germany, which was destroyed during the War, as illustrated in a German magazine on art and interior decoration, Deutsche Kunst und Dekoration, vol. XXIX, published April 1926 (fig. 1). The pair can be seen again in the family living room in an article on the villa after it was rebuilt, dating from the early 1950s. The jars have never been published on their own.
FIG. 1. DEUTSCHE KUNST UND DEKORATION, WOHNUNGSKUNST, MALEREI, PLASTIK, ARCHITEKTUR, GÄRTEN, KÜNSTLERISCHE, FRAUEN, ARBEITEN, HAUS ROSSELHÖH IN WIESBADEN [GERMAN ART AND DECORATION, RESIDENTIAL ART, PAINTING, SCULPTURE, ARCHITECTURE, GARDENS, ARTISTIC, HAUS ROSSELHÖH IN WIESBADEN], DARMSTADT, 1926.
圖1 《 DEUTSCHE KUNST UND DEKORATION, WOHNUNGSKUNST, MALEREI, PLASTIK, ARCHITEKTUR, GÄRTEN, KÜNSTLERISCHE, FRAUEN, ARBEITEN, HAUS ROSSELHÖH IN WIESBADEN 》，達姆斯塔特，1926
FIG. 1A THE JARS IN SITU IN THE NEWLY BUILT HOUSE, AS FEATURED IN AN ARCHITECTURE MAGAZINE, CA. 1953
圖一A《MODERNES HAUS IM ZEITLOSEN STIL》， 約1953年
Jiajing ‘fish jars’ are very rare altogether, extremely rare with cover, and no other pair – with or without covers – appears to remain in a private collection. Of seven known pairs of such jars, three had retained and four had lost their covers. Only one other complete pair with covers appears to be preserved, from the collection of Ernest Grandidier (1833–1912), and now in the Musée Guimet, Paris (accession nos G4117a and b; fig. 3), see Oriental Ceramics. The World’s Great Collections, vol. 7, Tokyo, New York, and San Francisco, 1981, col. pl. 22, where one jar is illustrated. The other two pairs are now split. Only three single jars in private hands are known to have retained their covers, the two from the J.M. Hu collection and the one formerly in the Walters collection, see below.
FIG. 3. A PAIR OF WUCAI ‘FISH’ JARS AND COVERS, MARKS AND PERIOD OF JIAJING, MUSÉE GUIMET, PARIS © GRANDPALAISRMN (MNAAG, PARIS) / THIERRY OLLIVIER
圖三 明嘉靖 五彩魚藻紋蓋罐一對，吉美博物館
A pair of Jiajing ‘fish jars’ with covers from the collection of Henry Walters (1848-1931) and later in the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, is now split, with one jar remaining in the Museum, illustrated in Hiram W. Woodward, Jr, Asian Art in the Walters Art Gallery. A Selection, Baltimore, 1991, pl. 23; the other sold in our New York rooms, 11th / 12th September 2012, lot 262 (cover lot).
FIG. 4. J M HU (1911 - 1995)
圖四 胡惠春先生（1911–1995年）
The third pair with covers, from the collection of J.M. Hu (1911–1995), is also separated, with one jar sold at Sotheby’s New York, 4th June 1985, lot 12 (cover lot); the other sold twice in our rooms, in New York, 1st December 1992, lot 282 (cover lot) and in Hong Kong, 29th October 2000, lot 18 (both times at the world record price), and a third time, from the Le Cong Tang collection, at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27th November 2017, lot 8006 (back cover) (fig. 4).
A pair without covers is recorded in the Hakutsuru Art Museum, Kobe, illustrated in Hakutsuru Bijutsukan zōhin zuroku [Illustrated Catalogue of Pieces in the Hakutsuru Fine Art Museum], Kobe, 1988, pls 121 and 122.
A sixth pair of jars without cover in the Museu Medeiros e Almeida, Lisbon, is illustrated in Maria Antónia Pinto de Matos, The RA Collection of Chinese Ceramics. A Collector’s Vision, London, 2011, vol. 1, p. 216, fig. 32.
One further pair, both severely damaged, perhaps during a palace fire, from the collection of famous author Henry James (1843–1916), later the collection of Charles A. Dana and the Harvard Art Museums, Cambridge, was sold separately at Christie’s New York, 19th March 2009, lot 719 (with virtually no red enamel remaining) and lot 721 (with replaced neck).
A single jar and cover of this design, excavated in 1955 in Chaoyang District, Beijing, is now in the National Museum of China, Beijing, published in Zhongguo Guojia Bowuguan guancang wenwu yanjiu congshu/Studies on the Collections of the National Museum of China. Ciqi juan [Porcelain section], Mingdai [Ming dynasty] Shanghai, 2007, pl. 84; an example in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is illustrated in Gugong Bowuyuan cang wenwu zhenpin quanji. Wucai, doucai/The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Porcelains in Polychrome and Contrasting Colours, Hong Kong, 1999, pl. 15.
These jars all share the same basic design and layout of eight fishes, all belonging to the carp family, four larger alternating with four smaller ones, two of each heading right and two left, some swimming straight ahead and others just switching direction, their bodies twisted in a swirling motion. The surrounding lotus plants and water weeds are equally following a roughly predesigned pattern, with the underglaze-blue details that had been painted on before glaze application and firing, providing guidance for the painters of the polychrome enamels. The painting styles on these jars, however, are very free and spontaneous and vary immensely, suggesting the involvement of a sizeable number of painters.
Timeline of Events
This timeline focuses on the provenance of the Jiajing 'fish jars' mentioned in the provided texts. As the exact production dates of these jars are unknown, the timeline begins with their earliest recorded appearances.
Pre-1926:
A pair of fish jars, now known as the "Haus Rosselhöh pair," are located in the Haus Rosselhöh residence in Wiesbaden, Germany.
1926:
The Haus Rosselhöh pair is featured in the German publication Deutsche Kunst und Dekoration, Wohnungskunst, Malerei, Plastik, Architektur, Gärten, Künstlerische, Frauen, Arbeiten, Haus Rosselhöh in Wiesbaden.
Ca. 1953:
The Haus Rosselhöh pair is photographed for the publication Modernes Haus im zeitlosen Stil.
Pre-1976:
One fish jar, later known as the "Idemitsu jar," is part of the Douglas Oliver Collection.
1955:
A fish jar with its cover is excavated in Beijing, China. It eventually becomes part of the National Museum of China's collection.
1965:
A fish jar, later part of the Fuji Art Museum collection in Tokyo, is exhibited at the Exhibition of Yüan and Ming Ceramics, organized by the Japan Ceramic Society. It is shown without its cover.
1970s:
A fish jar, later known as the "Mayuyama jar," is exhibited at the Tokyo National Museum.
Ca. 1970-1980:
The Mayuyama jar is exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in Kamakura, Japan.
1976:
March 20: The Idemitsu jar is sold at Sotheby's New York (SNY) for $260,000. It is subsequently acquired by Eskenazi Ltd. and later Kochukyo, Tokyo, before becoming part of the Idemitsu Museum of Arts collection in Tokyo.
1979:
July 9: A fish jar, later housed in the Matsuoka Museum of Art in Tokyo, is sold at Phillips for £220,000.
1980s:
A fish jar with a replaced cover is part of the Manno Art Museum collection in Osaka, Japan. It is known as the "Eskenazi jar."
1985:
June 4: One of the J.M. Hu pair of fish jars, known as "J.M. Hu (I)," is sold at Sotheby's New York for $1,210,000.
1989:
June 13: A fish jar without its cover is sold at Sotheby's London (SLon) for £220,000.
1992:
December 1: The second of the J.M. Hu pair of fish jars, known as "J.M. Hu (II)," is sold at Sotheby's New York for $2,600,000, setting a world record price for Chinese porcelain at the time.
1993:
December 7: The fish jar sold in 1989 is re-sold at Sotheby's London for £400,000.
2000:
October 29: J.M. Hu (II) is sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong (SHK) for $40,000,000 HK, breaking its own world record price for Chinese porcelain.
2001:
November 13: A fish jar with replaced enamels is sold at Christie's London (CLon) for £443,750.
2002:
The Eskenazi jar is exhibited in London as part of Eskenazi's "Two Rare Chinese Porcelain Fish Jars of the 14th and 16th Centuries" exhibition.
2003:
October 26: A fish jar with a replacement cover, known as the "Kyoto jar," is sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong for $3,600,000 HK.
2004:
June 9: A fish jar known as the "Toguri jar" is sold at Sotheby's London for £360,000.
2009:
March 19: Two damaged fish jars, once part of a pair, are sold at Christie's New York. The first, missing most of its red enamel, sells for $242,500 US, while the second, with a replaced neck, sells for $40,000 US. Both had belonged to Henry James and Charles A. Dana before being acquired by the Harvard Art Museums.
2012:
May 15: A fish jar missing its neck, from the estate of HRH Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, is sold at Christie's London for £145,250.
September 12: One of the Walters Art Museum's pair of fish jars, known as the "Walters jar," is sold at Sotheby's New York for $1,986,500.
2013:
April 8: The Idemitsu jar is sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong for $25,880,000 HK.
May 26: The Kyoto jar is offered at Bonhams Hong Kong but goes unsold.
2014:
March 19: A fish jar without its cover is sold at Sotheby's New York for $845,000 US.
2017:
November 27: J.M. Hu (II) is sold at Christie's Hong Kong for $213,850,000 HK, setting a new world record price for Chinese porcelain.
2018:
April 2: The fish jar with replaced enamels, sold in 2001, is offered at Poly Auction Hong Kong.
2019:
September 12: The Walters Art Museum sells the second of its pair of fish jars.
2023:
November 6: The Haus Rosselhöh pair is offered for sale at Sotheby’s London with a conservative estimate of £600,000 - £1,000,000.
Cast of Characters
Collectors:
Lee ven ching: Early owner of the fish jar later known as J.M. Hu (I). Details of their life and collection are unknown.
J.M. Hu (1911-1995): A prominent Chinese collector. Owned a pair of fish jars, both of which set world records at auction.
Henry Walters (1848-1931): American businessman and art collector. His collection formed the basis of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore. Owned a pair of fish jars, later separated.
S.E. Kennedy: An early 20th-century collector who owned the Eskenazi jar before it became part of museum collections.
Comtesse de Beauchamp (d. July 24, 1940): Owner of a fish jar. Further details about her life are unknown.
Douglas Oliver: Owned the Idemitsu jar before it was sold at auction in 1976.
Sir John Buchanan Jardine: Owned a fish jar later acquired by Avery Brundage for the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.
Avery Brundage: American art collector and Olympian. His collection formed the basis of the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.
Rutherford Alcock: British diplomat who served as the first British consul in Japan. Owned a fish jar later housed in the Asia Society, New York.
Sir Trevor Lawrence: British art collector who owned a fish jar later acquired by the Asia Society, New York.
Mrs. Alfred Clark: Owner of a fish jar later acquired by John D. Rockefeller 3rd for the Asia Society, New York.
John D. Rockefeller 3rd: American philanthropist and art collector. Donated his collection to the Asia Society, New York.
Raoul Warocqué (1870-1917): Belgian businessman and art collector who acquired a fish jar in China in 1912. The jar is now part of the Musée royal de Mariemont collection.
Henry James (1843-1916): American author. Owned a pair of damaged fish jars later sold separately.
Charles A. Dana (1819-1897): American journalist and author. Owned the pair of fish jars previously belonging to Henry James.
Ernest Grandidier (1833-1912): French naturalist and art collector. His collection, including a pair of fish jars, is housed in the Musée Guimet in Paris.
Scholars and Authors:
R.L. Hobson: Author of prominent works on Chinese ceramics, including Chinese Pottery and Porcelain (1915) and The Wares of the Ming Dynasty (1923).
Nuno de Castro: Author of A Ceramica e a Porcelana Chinesas.
Daisy Lion-Goldschmidt: Author of Ming Porcelain (1978).
Rene-Yvon Lefebvre d'Argencé: Author of Chinese Ceramics in the Avery Brundage Collection (1967).
Michel Beurdeley: Author of La Céramique Chinoise.
Soame Jenyns: Author of Ming Pottery and Porcelain.
Hiram W. Woodward Jr.: Author of Asian Art in the Walters Art Gallery: A Selection.
Lu Minghua: Author of Shanghai Bowuguan zangpin yanjiu daxi/Studies of the Shanghai Museum Collections: A Series of Monographs. Mingdai guanyao ciqi [Ming imperial porcelain].
Liu Liang-yu: Author of Survey of Chinese Ceramics.
Y. Mayuyama: Author of Chyugoku Bunbutsu Kenbun and Seventy Years.
Maria Antónia Pinto de Matos: Author of The RA Collection of Chinese Ceramics.
Regina Krahl: Expert in Chinese ceramics and author of the Sotheby's catalogue entry for the Haus Rosselhöh pair of fish jars.
Peter Lam: Scholar who researched the reign marks of the Jiajing emperor.
Institutions:
Sotheby's: International auction house.
Christie's: International auction house.
Phillips: International auction house.
Poly Auction Hong Kong: Auction house based in Hong Kong.
Bonhams: International auction house.
Palace Museum, Beijing: Home to one of the largest collections of Chinese art and artifacts, including a Jiajing fish jar.
National Museum of China, Beijing: Houses a collection of Chinese artifacts, including a Jiajing fish jar excavated in Beijing.
Tianjin Municipal Art Museum: Holds a collection of Chinese art, including a Jiajing fish jar.
Fuji Art Museum, Tokyo: Houses a collection of Asian art, including a Jiajing fish jar.
Musée Guimet, Paris: Home to a major collection of Asian art, including a pair of Jiajing fish jars donated by Ernest Grandidier.
Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: Holds a significant collection of Asian art, including a Jiajing fish jar acquired from Avery Brundage's collection.
Indianapolis Museum of Art: Art museum housing a Jiajing fish jar as part of the Eli Lilly Collection.
Asia Society, New York: Cultural institution with a collection of Asian art, including a Jiajing fish jar.
Walters Art Museum, Baltimore: Home to a collection of art from around the world, including a Jiajing fish jar formerly part of a pair.
Atami Museum of Art (MOA), Japan: Art museum housing a Jiajing fish jar.
Musée royal de Mariemont, Belgium: Museum housing a Jiajing fish jar from the collection of Raoul Warocqué.
Shanghai Museum: Home to a large collection of Chinese art, including two Jiajing fish jars that may have once been a pair.
Hakutsuru Art Museum, Kobe: Japanese museum with a collection of Asian art, including a pair of Jiajing fish jars without covers.
Umezawa Kinenkan, Tokyo: Museum of Asian art.
Matsuoka Museum of Art, Tokyo: Japanese museum with a collection of Asian art, including a Jiajing fish jar.
Fukuoka Art Museum: Museum of art in Fukuoka, Japan.
Hirano Kotoken: Japanese Dealer.
Matsunaga Kinenkan, Odawara: Japanese museum of art.
Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum: Japanese museum specializing in ceramics.
Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum of Art: Japanese art museum.
Casa-Museu Medeiros e Almeida, Lisbon: Portuguese museum housing a pair of Jiajing fish jars without covers.
Harvard Art Museums: The art museums of Harvard University, which once owned a pair of damaged Jiajing fish jars.
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