清乾隆 粉彩像生瑞芝壁瓶 《大清乾隆年製》款

superbly and dramatically modelled in the shape of a lingzhi stem, the main branch curving to the right and sweeping up to a flaring mouth, its sides spreading widely with an undulating edge furling beneath corpulent layers of overlapping spores, vividly enamelled with a kaleidoscopic blend of green, blue and pink glazes, the depth skilfully rendered with shadowing in the recessed areas, covered to the underside in a thick pale apple-green moss running down and pooling at the edges around the stem, the base issuing a branch dividing into two gnarled arms each terminating in a smaller lingzhi, one similarly enamelled and the other a natural fresh lingzhi colour, the base sprouting three more lingzhi, the stem painted in varying tones of brown in small dynamic brushstrokes and inscribed on the back with a six-character seal mark in underglaze blue below two connected apertures, wood stand

傳美國私人收藏

The wall vase is in overall very good condition except for a small oval-shaped superficial chip measuring approx. 0.4 by 0.2 cm to the edge of the middle orange-red lingzhi as well as a minute superficial triangular chip measuring approx. 0.15 by 0.15 by 0.15 cm to the lingzhi at the backfoot. There are also a few minute glaze gaps and enamel flakes as can be expected.
"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."

奉君禮佛總相宜
李寶平

靈芝，又有「瑞草」、「仙草」之稱，普信乃靈氣之物，屬奇草之列，為人寶惜。道家煉丹之士更認為服用靈芝，可得長壽，甚或有起死回生之效。是以二千年來，中國藝品上飾靈芝紋者，屢見不鮮，尤其是明清御瓷，常綴瑞芝，或變形、或簡化，更添嘉祥寓意。縱使俯拾皆是，如本品取天然靈芝為形之瓷器，卻未見他例傳世，猶若晨星，或為孤品，極為珍稀。眾知乾隆帝偏好華麗雄渾之器，此靈芝雅緻耀目，或掛壁作飾，或直立陳設，供御珍賞，尤合君心。

清朝帝君尤鍾靈芝，有宮廷畫例為證，如雍正年間郎世寧（1688-1766）獻呈世宗之《嵩獻英芝圖》軸（圖一）及雍正年間《群仙祝壽》冊中張為邦《靈芝》冊頁（圖二）。此靈芝，則乃為高宗而製。乾隆一朝，高宗大興藝文。據清宮檔案，乾隆九年（1744）九月，高宗命唐英燒製瓷靈芝，「傳旨：雅滿達喇壇仙樓上著交燒造磁器處，燒造青花白地磁五供三堂，其瓶內配燒磁靈芝花。欽此」。至乾隆十年（1745）四月，唐英上奏指「維時因窰廠止工天氣寒次，泥釉凝凍不能攢造，今春開工，始得陸續製成。今造得宣窰青花白地五供三堂，配造得青花五彩瓷靈芝二種，以備採用」，可知景德鎮曾製瓷靈芝，有青花及釉上彩二種，詳見張發穎編，《唐英督陶文檔》，北京，2012年，頁72、163。靈芝，與道家及民間信仰密不可分。清帝篤信藏傳佛教，文檔所記命燒瓷靈芝，以道家仙物獻供佛壇，耐人尋味，為清宮宗教生活提供了重要實例。中國各宗教之融和共存，為世所知，如今又一史料佐證。據攝於1900年之舊照，紫禁城中正殿內佛前供案上置金屬瓶，內飾靈芝，圖見單霽翔，《故宮藏影：西洋鏡裏的皇家建築》，北京，2014年，頁211，圖4（圖三）。

暫得樓藏靈芝式盂，器型袖珍，採青釉瑞芝為形，旁出粉彩小芝三朵，枝梗相連，底署「大清乾隆年製」款，輔證高宗對靈芝之珍賞惜好，圖見仇焱之與 Helen D. Ling，《抗希齋珍藏歷代名瓷影譜》，香港，1950年，卷4，圖版186，又曾展於《暫得樓清代官窰單色釉瓷器》，上海博物館，上海，圖版46（圖四）。 另有一乾隆銘仿汝釉芝式瓶，可資比對，其足裹深褐色汁，展於《Qing Mark and Period Monochrome and Two-Coloured Wares》，S. Marchant & Son，倫敦，1992年，編號34及封面。

還可比較一雍正御製仿官釉靈芝擺件，枝飾瘤癭，書四字篆款，二度售於倫敦蘇富比，分別為1972年12月12日，編號169及1990年11月29日，編號211。且有清朝廣東製芝式瓶，見紐約佳士得2012年3月23日，編號2059。

歷代御瓷上飾瑞芝紋者多不勝數，例可見一明永樂青花梅瓶，足上環綴芝紋一圈，瓶身則繪桃竹，北京故宮博物院藏，近見於王光堯及江建新編，《明代洪武永樂御窰瓷器：景德鎮御窰遺址出土與故宮博物院藏傳世瓷器對比》，故宮博物院，北京，2015年，編號105。另請參見宣德青花鸚鵡桃紋大盤，帶款，盤外繪飾靈芝，圖見王光堯及江建新編，《明代宣德御窰瓷器：景德鎮御窰遺址出土與故宮博物院藏傳世瓷器對比》，故宮博物院，北京，2015年，編號15。