明嘉靖 青花地紅黃彩穿芝龍紋倭角方蓋盒 《大明嘉靖年製》款

of square quatrelobed form, the box potted with bombé sides resting on a short foot, the exterior decorated with four yellow-enamelled dragons soaring sinuously amidst sprays of lingzhi fungus, a key-fret band painted bordering the straight rim and repeated at the rim of the well-fitted cover, the cover with a rounded border similarly decorated with four writhing dragons, surrounding a raised quatrelobed panel enclosing a coiling dragon wreathed by lingzhi fungus, the designs all defined and accentuated with iron-red lines and reserved against an underglaze-blue ground, the base inscribed in underglaze blue with a six-character reign mark 

胡惠春（1911-95年）收藏
紐約蘇富比1985年6月4日，編號10

The box and cover are in overall good condition with light general surface and enamel wear, the most visible an enamel flake measuring approx 0.5 by 0.2 cm to a dragon's body on the cover. There are also minor characteristic firing imperfections including short firing cracks to the flanges of the box and 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."

此蓋盒色彩對比鮮明，紋樣繪製滿含皇家禎祥寓意，乃嘉靖朝瓷器兩大特徵。本品頂蓋及四壁列飾御用五爪祥龍，輔以靈芝，取代慣用纏枝蓮紋，以示嘉靖帝延壽之願，且篤信道家不朽之說。黃色乃帝王之色，色調採選亦呼應主題。

嘉靖帝鐘愛彩色繽紛、吉祥圖紋器物，其尊崇道教，深信五彩可以辟邪。據載，其大事興建，修設齋醮，迷信方術，所用黃金、珍珠及龍涎香料靡費，極盡奢華。嘉靖一朝御廠工匠雖未曾於研發新色、裝飾工藝方面出新，然卻擅舊法新用，遂亦使風格、配色得以延展。此盒所見鈷青色底，源於明初，然其時鮮見搭配釉上黃紅彩，直至嘉靖。本品配色新穎，三色燒成所需溫度不一，難能可貴。

此類樣式雲龍紋蓋盒甚為珍罕。已知僅見四類例：東京國立博物館藏一例，載於《東洋陶瓷大觀》，卷1，東京，1982年，圖版123；第二例，現存倫敦維多利亞與艾伯特博物館，乃 Bloxam 舊藏，展錄於《Ceramic Evolution in the Middle Ming Period》，大維德基金會，倫敦，1994年，編號28；第三例，瑞典斯德哥爾摩遠東古物博物館藏，載於《東洋陶瓷大觀》，前述出處，卷8，東京，1982年，圖版239。還有一例，為 A de. Medeiros e Almeida 所藏，刊於 Cécile 及 Michel Beurdeley，《La Céramique Chinoise》，弗里堡，1974年，圖版77。