明萬曆 青花穿芝遊龍圖圓蓋盒 《大明萬曆年製》款

of circular form with straight sides supported on a flat base, the slightly domed top of the cover densely painted with ferocious scaly five-clawed dragons leaping amidst lingzhi scrolls, circling a 'flaming pearl' in the centre, the sides of the box and cover further decorated with bands of four sinuous dragons striding above leafy lingzhi fungi and chasing after 'flaming pearls', the detail all in washes of cobalt blue accented with bold outlines, the base centred with a countersunk roundel enclosing an underglaze blue six-character reign mark within a frame of ruyi motifs, wood stand

日本舊藏

The overall condition is very good except for some minor flakes and typical frittings to the rims. There are also burst air bubbles and original firing cracks, especially to the base, as well as some minor surface wear and a tiny glaze pull to the slightly warped cover.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

晚明夕照暮花綻
康蕊君

大明至嘉靖萬曆二朝，國力漸竭，政績乏善可陳，文藝未見大興，但江西景德鎮瓷藝及供御各作，不乏巧思創新，遠超成化嗣後諸朝。嘉萬二朝，經濟興旺，宦人掌權、百官富貴、商賈顯榮，生活豐足，便搜求佳瓷珍藝等豪侈之品。宮廷貴冑，更泛奢華之風，造就明末工藝之夕照迴光，猶如暮霞散綺，曇花一綻。時朝廷命景德鎮大量燒瓷，年產每每數以萬計，採官搭民燒，讓有數十載經驗之民窰搭燒瓷器，以饜需求。景德鎮製瓷日以繼夜，讓人嘖嘖稱奇，時人王世懋遂嘆謂之「四時雷電鎮」。官搭民燒，朝廷被逼放寬對成品之要求，但此卻讓窰廠有更多自由依題發揮。此拍賣中之青花穿芝遊龍圖圓蓋盒（拍品編號3657），上繪雙龍威猛矯健，擺脫慣常刻板，即為一例。

產量雖增，匠人卻仍巧心運籌，力製佳品，以悅帝心。嘉靖帝篤信道家之說，沉迷法術丹藥，深信可得長生多子，是以道觀修建、法會儀典，凡與道家相關者，毫不吝嗇，飾金綴珠、焚龍涎香，極盡奢華。損公肥私之事，萬曆神宗也不遜其祖，錦衣寶飾、奇珍異物、華殿御閣、祝慶典儀，耗費府庫。

嘉萬二朝 ，景德鎮瓷匠藉既有技術基礎，另創新風。如嘉靖一朝，嘗以二色搭配，獨闢蹊徑，成果出眾，例有黃地紅彩（拍品編號3659），兩彩相輔相乘，尤其醒目。至萬曆朝，復興五彩青花，其彩釉鈷青，色澤濃若寶石。五彩，釉下鈷青與釉上彩料配合非易，製作頗艱，多次窰燒，想必次品多見，成器難求，若論所蘊雄心巧思，五彩在明瓷新品中誠屬甲等。萬曆窰青花濃色湛藍，乃採質優青料方可得之，然此法萬曆四十八年（1620）神宗崩殂則止，入清後才恢復。

嘉萬二朝 ，以龍鳳為尊，彰顯帝后權威榮貴，是以瓷器御作，飾龍鳳者眾，其中祥龍，常見御用五爪者，多輔以如靈芝一類長壽飾紋，而非卷雲海水（拍品編號 3657）。嘉靖藝作，不論材質，則多滿綴道家禎符，其中不少紋樣，特別是如鹿鶴同春之類（拍品編號3666）象徵除厄延壽之類，至萬曆一朝仍見續用。另有魚藻紋（拍品編號3661及3665），也可釋意吉祥，如在展覽圖錄《權力與榮耀：明代宮廷藝術》，舊金山亞洲藝術博物館，2008年，頁210，作者提到繆輔（活躍於1426-35年間）之《魚藻圖》軸所繪，游魚有餘裕之意，配以茨菰睡蓮，象徵慈愛平安。莊子有云：「鯈魚出遊從容，是魚之樂也」，游魚，自古又寓逍遙無拘之樂，為君王嚮往。

萬曆神宗定陵，仍至今唯一進行考古發掘之明朝帝王陵寢，出土珍品如金盂、金盌、金盒、漆器，更有御用華服錦衣，所綴龍紋與瓷器飾樣風格相類。昔時新君登基，先帝器物多存貯府庫，以當朝銘款器代之。然定陵出土瓷器，除本朝帶款者，且有前朝嘉靖銘款器，此與慣見有別，發人深思。

長久以來，從中國傳入之物，日本珍而重之，稱為「唐物」。數百年來，日本所存中國瓷器甚殷，尤好晚明御瓷，而十六世紀外銷至日本之器，日人更為寶惜。至室町時代（1333-1573）晚期，由於時景德鎮官搭民燒，產量大增，是以外銷至東洋之器，物美價廉，佳瓷俯拾即是，便是書款御器也有外傳日本。Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere 道，十六世紀時，至少在日本西岸一帶，珍藏、習用中國瓷器者，比比皆然，詳見《Vessels of Influence. China and the Birth of Porcelain in Medieval and Early Modern Japan》，倫敦，2012年，頁97。日本人向賞中國瓷器之美，用諸茶道，也為日用。此圖錄中所載明瓷，多在日本流傳經年，為人所賞，配雙重梧桐木盒，珍而重之。