明成化 赭地剔彩「穿蓮翼龍」圖長方盆

of rectangular section, the everted sides supported on a low narrow foot and slightly recessed base, intricately carved in varied levels of relief revealing the multiple layers of red, yellow, purple, orange, green and black lacquers, the interior with a four-clawed winged dragon vivaciously writhing among five sprays of multi-coloured lotus, the fierce creature detailed with wide open jaws, sinuous scaly body, powerful limbs and flaming wings centred with a zigzag resembling a bolt of lightning, surrounded around the sides by four attendant winged dragons, their sinous scaly body of yellow, black, red or green colour finely outlined in red lacquer, two of them turning sharply their head toward their back, all four repeated in reverse colours around the exterior, the base lacquered in red

京都浄土真宗本願寺第二十二代家主大谷光瑞（1876-1948）收藏

The tray is in overall very good condition with possibly some minute restoration or touch-up in areas to the carved interior design. There are some typical age cracks on the interior and rim. There are some crackles to the red lacquer on the underside and a 1 x 0.5 surface flake to the lacquer which otherwise appears to be original.
"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."

此漆盆雕刻穿蓮翼龍，威武生動，色彩搭配鮮明，論風格，獨辟蹊徑，論技巧，別樹一幟，他例難尋。其漆層厚實，盆內地髹黃漆，上依次覆施紅、黃、紫、褐、綠、紅、黑、黃、綠及紅，外壁疊施漆層相若，技藝繁複。紫褐二色漆料，尤為珍稀，典籍文獻無錄。柔彩如斯雖罕，漆匠卻沒刻意炫耀雙色，未露於圖案表層。器壁游龍，分別以赤紅、墨綠、黝黑與土黃作主調，紫褐二彩，則夾置於各色之間，和諧悅目。中央巨龍，活靈活現，全賴藝匠細心巧思，利用底層朱漆，雕出離觀者較遠之健足利爪，營造立體感。如此絕藝神工，應為宮廷獨有，惜相類之器，未見傳世，更顯其珍。

北京故宮博物院藏剔彩林檎雙鸝大圓盒（圖一），同屬罕珍，然其風格施彩，與本品之雕刻圓潤藏鋒、疊漆重色豐富，有異曲同工之妙，可資參考。北京藏例時有著錄討論，如見於王世襄，《中國古代漆器》，北京，1987年，圖版55，作者將之美喻為剔彩雕漆之冠，無可匹敵。圖也見於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集．元明漆器》，香港，2006年，圖版57，書中寫其乃最早之剔彩漆器，獨一無偶。又刊於《中國漆器全集》，福州，1993-8年，卷5，圖版47，當中筆者指藉着研磨疊色漆層，成就繽紛色彩，秀麗多姿。

故宮剔彩蓋盒重髹色層共數十三，但僅止紅、黃、綠、黑四色，且除盒蓋細綴錦地，悉作黃地雕飾，佈局疏朗，與本品甚接近。盒上花實蟲鳥，色多絢麗，可見昔時藝匠精磨細琢，以顯原來深藏不露的一或多層色彩。本品彷彿同飾此藝，卷纏蓮花重彩之技尤為突出。北京蓋盒上方妙留長框，內刻「大明宣德年製」款，巧思無微，獨見匠心。

剔彩雕漆，嘉靖以降盛行。惟嘉靖漆作，表面暗啞乏光，刀法鋒銳挺勁。反觀本品，翼龍矯健生威，佈局渾然天成，亮澤圓潤，渙散柔光，風格與習見之晚明剔彩雕漆大相逕庭。宣德至嘉靖之間，時跨約一個世紀，但其漆藝嬗變，現所知甚寡，僅有倫敦大英博物館藏弘治二年剔彩雕漆山水圖盤作例，管中窺豹。漆盤曾先後入大衛德爵士及 Harry Garner 勛爵典藏，圖見於 Harry Garner 勛爵，《Chinese Lacquer》，倫敦，1979年，彩圖C及圖版60。該器只施紅、黃、綠三色漆料，圖案繁密，細節雕刻明快精準，與本品風格迴異。

盆上四爪應龍，其翅近於蝙蝠，與成化鬪彩瓷盤上見龍紋極為相近，惟後者尾巴更形蓬鬆，見《成化瓷器特展》，國立故宮博物院，台北，2003年，編號128（圖二）。成化一朝，也有尾部修長之五爪翼龍，例見御器廠遺址出土成化鬪彩盌上團龍紋殘片，展於《成窰遺珍：景德鎮珠山出土成化官窰瓷器》，徐氏藝術館，香港，1993年，編號C120。此盆應為成化御製漆器，雖未見他例著錄於冊，但據其技藝風格，斷代成化，似極為得宜。

李氏家族藏一盆，形同為長方，較此稍大，曾展於《中國漆藝二千年》，香港中文大學文物館，香港，1993年，編號53，當時斷代十五世紀末，後售於香港佳士得2008年12月3日，編號2121，傳為成化之品。該盆雖屬一般剔紅，但其悍龍造型奇特，似同為成化年間漆作。