清乾隆 粉彩高足蓮托像生柿子、石榴供盤一對

each stand of slender proportion, sturdily potted on a rounded stepped foot rising to a shapely statuesque profile, centred with a bulbous central section between elaborate contours flaring out and curving inward, all below a wide double-lotus bordered top meticulously painted with striated lotus petals, the stand decorated in the yangcai palette with bands of floral designs arranged in registers, the bands of varying widths enclosing multi-coloured floral blooms rendered borne on curling foliage, interspersed with borders of dotted motifs and scrollwork, one stand supporting a neatly arranged pyramidal pile of eleven trompe l'oeil persimmons, each rendered lusciously fleshy and ripe with four main reddish-orange glazed 'cheeks', detailed at the top with a variegated beige calyx, the other a similarly modelled pile of eleven trompe l'oeil pomegranates, each plump fruit rendered lifelike and decorated with a pale peach glaze with areas of rosy speckles and depicted succulent with its skin bursting open revealing dense clusters of ruby-red seeds

The fruits are in overall very good condition, with only some expected tiny flakes to the extremities and a few possibly gently retouched enamel spots. One of the stands has two faint body lines to the upper lotus pedestals. Typical for this kind of stands, the lotus pedestals and the stems were fired separately and glued together. There are some minute frits to the tips of the lotus petals. The enamels have been superbly preserved with only some minor expected wear and insignificant flakes, including one to the turquoise enamel on the underside. Both porcelain stands have some residue of glue, especially to the lower sections, possibly as a result of having been secured to a pair of platforms at some point.
"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."

妙華善果
李寶平

乾隆帝，論鑑寶藏古、好物興藝，堪稱歷代國君之冠。此對果子供盤，應製於乾隆年間，未見他例存世，或為孤品，殊為珍罕。石榴笑開百子，象徵多子多孫，柿子與事諧音，果形圓碩，寓涵事事如意。托盤裝飾主題蓮花蓮瓣，蓮為佛門聖花，出淤泥而不染，流傳持頌最廣的佛教經典之一《妙法蓮花經》（法華經），即以蓮花為經題，從唐代詩人孟浩然《題大禹寺義公禪房》點睛之句「看取蓮花淨，應知不染心」，可通其意。此對供盤寓意吉祥良善，色彩富麗悅目，形象寫實逼真，細節體現生動到位，看之令人心生歡喜，很有可能為清代宮廷中佛堂獻供禮佛之用，也足為宮殿廳堂陳設欣賞之器。

清初傳教士來華，進宮面聖，帶來歐洲琺瑯彩料，備受青睞。宮中後據舶來彩色研發，製得新色，繪洋風圖樣，是為「洋彩」，乾隆帝尤好此風。供盤上施色彩，鮮亮繽紛，搭配悅目，正屬此類。盤上像生果子，巧製妙造，刻劃細緻入微，展示景德鎮御窰瓷匠之鬼斧神工。以其尺寸之碩、造形之奇，從塑坯至窰燒，殊不簡單，易有變形之況。得成品規整如斯，誠然難得。如此對供盤，燒造如此艱鉅，且堆塑細緻，易遭破損，想必非大宗瓷品，或僅製寥寥數器，傳世至今，更罕稀也。

諸位清帝，素以篤信藏傳佛教著稱。乾隆朝六十年間，高宗更屢下旨敕造瓷質佛像及供器。例如乾隆二十四年（1759年）閏六月十八日聖上下旨：「……著照交出供器俱各畫樣，再將五供養、七供、七珍、八寶亦畫樣呈覽。準時俱交舒善做木樣帶往江西燒造磁塔、磁寶瓶、磁奔巴壺、磁甘露瓶、磁輪各一對，餘者供器照樣各燒造一分，其五供照樣燒造一分，放大燒造一分，收小燒造一分，瓶內俱隨磁花。」八寶，即包括法輪及寶瓶在內之八吉祥。七供一般則涵花、香、燈、果等。此對果盤，很可能也乃奉旨為供佛而製之物。

歷代佛教信眾，或貧或富，均習以花果等供品禮佛。供物莫論真仿，置於佛壇之上，足表向佛之心，可訴凡塵之願。此對果盤，若供奉於清宮藏傳佛教佛堂壇上，合宜不過。

托果之盤，巧飾層層蓮瓣，下俯上仰，近似一尊乾隆年製瓷質仿銅坐佛下承蓮座，該坐佛現存瀋陽故宮博物院，即原盛京行宮，圖見《瀋陽故宮博物院藏文物精粹：瓷器卷（上）》，瀋陽，2008年，頁217。乾隆年製帶款粉彩八吉祥供器上，也具相類蓮瓣座，香港蘇富比1999年4月27日曾拍出二例，可作參考，編號448（圖一），另有兩例售於紐約佳士得1999年9月16日，編號382。至於果盤之柱形底座，造形、紋飾則與售於倫敦蘇富比2009年5月13日之乾隆款法輪供器相近，編號 201，又可參考清宮舊藏乾隆款淨瓶，現藏南京博物院，錄於《宮廷珍藏：中國清代官窰瓷器》，上海，2003年，頁226。

石榴、柿子傳統既有祥瑞之寓，供於藏傳佛教壇，可謂文化融和之佳證。石榴多子，涵百子千孫之意，是以石榴紋飾，尤為風行，明清瓷器時有見之。中國傳統圖案與藏傳佛教之融合，也可見於清乾隆無款青花三多紋僧帽壺，壺身繪石榴、蟠桃、佛手，圖載於耿寶昌編，《故宮博物院藏明初青花瓷》，北京，2002年，卷2，圖版211。石榴、柿子，連同蟠桃，便是瓷器上常見之三果紋。例如台北國立故宮博物院藏宣德款釉裏紅三果紋高足盌，錄於《明代宣德官窰菁華特展圖錄》，台北，1998年，編號86，又或現藏南京博物院之雍正款釉裏紅三果紋高足盌，錄於《宮廷珍藏》，前述出處，頁146。

雖應為孤品，但就器形飾樣而言，此對果盤與其他乾隆御瓷有不少相通之處。對比乾隆九年（1744年）高宗下旨命造之成對洋彩紫紅地纏枝洋花御題詩燭臺，燭柱雖較果盤矮，其器形、紋飾與此相近，僅略為簡約，收錄於廖寶秀編，《華麗彩瓷：乾隆洋彩》，國立故宮博物院，台北，2008年，編號24。果盤上繪之纏枝番蓮紋，也可見於台北故宮藏乾隆粉彩纏枝洋花瓶上，圖見《乾隆皇帝的文化大業》，國立故宮博物院，台北， 2002年，編號V-29。

清代御瓷，雖多帶年款，但無款者也不罕見，尤其是禮佛供器。據清宮記錄，乾隆十一年（1746年），高宗曾降旨，命製白地紅花甘露瓶數件，「俱不要款」，詳閱馮先銘，《中國古陶瓷文獻集釋》，台北，2000年，頁241，此類無款甘露瓶，清宮舊藏有出，例見《宮廷珍藏》，前述出處，頁225。