宋 定窰白地褐彩蓮紋枕

of waisted rectangular form, painted in pale russet-brown on an ivory-white ground, each face of the pillow depicting luxuriant floral blooms borne on curling stems issuing foliate tendrils and large lotus pads with furled edges, all beneath a transparent glaze

There is a crack to the upper rear right corner when looking at the illustration in the catalogue. There is another restored crack to the lower corner as well as another break to the rear left corner of the pillow, with an associated restored chip to the corner of the pillow, visible in the top left corner in the left detail illustration on p. 52 of the catalogue. There is a small flake to another corner which has been filled in. There are a few further occasional nicks or flakes around the edges as well as firing impurities as visible in the catalogue photo. All these have been restored with some old spraying, which is now yellowing and flaking as visible in the catalogue photo. The pillow would benefit from professional cleaning.
"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."

此定窰系劃花蓮紋枕，難得一見，所刻轉枝蓮葉綫條流暢，引人注目。其燒製工藝巧妙，首先於白色胎體上施褐色化妝土，再於化妝土上勾勒花紋輪廓，後將花紋以外之化妝土剔除，利用深色化妝土與白色胎體之反差，以突顯紋飾。參考秦大樹，《論磁州窰和定窰的互相聯系和互相影響》，該文英譯本見英國東方陶瓷學會會刊《Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society》，卷65，2000-2001年，頁10-11，其論述剔劃花定瓷上所現淺褐色調，如本品，皆因定窰缺乏礦材合鐵量高之而致。

對比三件同工花枕，藏於北京故宮博物院，均有記載：其一頂部飾連花紋，刻有《南宋乾道四年製》款（1168年），錄錄於《故宮博物院藏文物珍品大系．兩宋瓷器（上）》，香港，1996年，圖版89；另兩件均飾莖葉紋，錄於《定瓷雅集：故宮博物院珍藏及出土定窰瓷器薈萃》，北京，2012年，圖版100及101；另可比同類作例，定州出土，錄於穆青編，《定瓷藝術》，石家莊，2002年，圖版200；亦見一件北京故宮博物院藏例，展於《中國定窰》，北京藝術博物館，北京，2012年，圖版11；另可參考一例，藏於天津博物館，載於《天津市藝術博物館藏瓷》，北京，1993年，圖版29；以及一玫茵堂舊藏例，刊於康蕊君編，《玫茵堂中國陶瓷》，卷三（II），倫敦，2006年，圖版1538。