BIOGRAPHY

INTRODUCTION

ABOVE: Imperial Rites of Sericulture, scroll 3: Picking Mulberry Leaves 清院本親蠶圖: 採桑 by court artists and Giuseppe Castiglione (Lang Shining 郎世寧, 1688–1766), Qianlong period (1735–1796), Qing dynasty. By kind

permission of the National Palace Museum.

RIGHT: Imperial Rites of Sericulture, scroll 4: Offering Cocoons 清院本親蠶圖: 獻繭 by court artists and Giuseppe Castiglione, Qing dynasty. The Imperial Rites of

Sericulture refer to an ancient set of rituals in traditional China dating back to the Zhou dynasty (c.1050–256 BCE), conducted by the empress and palace ladies in spring to commence the making of silk but which became obsolete. However, in 1742, during Emperor Qianlong’s reign, the rites were revived and an altar to the goddess of silkworms was ordered to be constructed in the Western Gardens. Finished in 1744, a grand ceremony honouring the Imperial Rites of Sericulture was led by Empress Xiaoxianchun 孝賢 with various court consorts and princesses. It was held annually thereafter. When Empress Xiaoxianchun died in 1748, Emperor Qianlong 乾隆 commissioned Giuseppe Castiglione to work alongside other court painters to paint this set of four handscrolls: Calling at the Altar; Sacrifices at the Altar; Picking Mulberry Leaves; and Offering Cocoons, to commemorate Qianlong’s great attachment to the empress and to commemorate her gentle personality. It is said that Empress Xiaoxianchun was admired by all and took her role and Confucian obligations seriously. She was frugal, spending little on ornamentation, and it is said that she wore artificial flowers in her hair rather than expensive jewellery. By kind permission of the National Palace Museum.

Under Emperor Jingtai 景泰, it seems that China gained a march on the West when, after the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, a number of skilled artisans in this technique reached the country. Accordingly, cloisonné works of art from this period of the Ming dynasty 明朝 are considered some of the best. At first, large heavy bronze vessels were used, with finer copper wares introduced at a later date. Most Chinese cloisonné enamel has a blue or turquoise-blue background and, as mentioned earlier, was famously named Jingtailan 景泰藍 (Jingtai blue), which literally means ‘blue of the reign of the Emperor’. The ‘cloisons’ (compartments) were created by using copper filigree bands that were soldered into place before the enamel was added. The ‘cloisons’ also had another important job – to create an elaborate pattern that was seen in the enamelled composition of the work of art. The enamel powder (or paste)-filled ‘cloisons’ were fired in a kiln and the process was then repeated at least twice due to enamel shrinkage. The enamel would then be sanded and polished until the metal ‘cloisons’ shined and were level with the polished enamel. Frequently, the metal surface would then be gilded.

The 16th century was a turning point in the development of cloisonné. Designs became more elaborate with many variations and styles. The enamel colours used in the Ming dynasty were red, purple, yellow, green, black, cobalt blue and turquoise, each derived from using metal oxides.⁵ The popular blue background of the Ming period had a lot to do with trade and China’s connections with Persia (Europe was only a small fraction of China’s overseas trade at the time).

Persia had a definite preference for blue and, later, during the Qing 清 period, lighter turquoise backgrounds.This colour difference was accompanied by a certain number of pock marks in the enamel resulting from escaping gases in the firing process and helped to distinguish Ming 明 cloisonné from Qing cloisonné works of art.

According to the renowned Hong Kong collector Coobie Chui, other reasons for the difference in blue background colours include the changing of the glass paste formulas and the firing process whereby the heating of the ‘cloison’ metal affected the colour of the enamel.⁶

With new exchanges between China and the West, there was an influx of Jesuit missionaries and they brought with them skills that were to have a deep influence on the works of art to be found in the Imperial Palace.

ABOVE: Cloisonné Pine and Bamboo cuff links – blue sapphire, tsavorite garnet, black rhodium-plated gold,

yellow gold. Note the fretwork decoration on the cufflink batons. The fretwork (meander) pattern means endless wisdom and luck. It therefore stands for infinity and longevity in Chinese decorative art. The pattern of the character huí 回 has no beginning or end.

OPPOSITE PAGE

LEFT: Cloisonné Camellia Blossom ring – sapphire, diamond, black rhodium-plated gold, yellow gold. Camellia

blossoms around Chinese New Year.

RIGHT: Jingtai cloisonné enamel plum-blossom shaped (meiping 梅瓶) vase, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) – bronze gilt, blue enamel background with red and blue chrysanthemum flowers, lotus flower and cloud pattern decoration. Butterflies, dragonflies and white cranes also decorate the bottle.

By kind permission of the National Palace Museum.

‘Jesuit and Chinese painters collaborated by dividing responsibilities: the faces of members of the imperial family were executed by Western masters, while surroundings and landscapes were the responsibility of Chinese court painters’.⁷

Imperial Sword Collection

The reign of Emperor Qianlong 乾隆 is regarded as the peak of the Qing 清 dynasty (1644–1911), spanning a large part of the 18th century. Works of art from his reign are regarded as some of the best examples of the Qing dynasty 清朝. The emperor himself is regarded as one of the great collectors of Chinese works of art in the country’s history. The Baoteng 寶騰 sword was forged and engraved with the auspicious symbol of a dragon flying through the clouds, an allusion to its title. It was engraved on the hilt with its name, ‘Number Seventeen of the Heaven Category’. In 2008, the Baoteng1(Soaring Precious) sabre came up for sale at an auction in Hong Kong. It was a rare event.

The sabre was one of 90 sabres and 30 daggers ordered to be made by Emperor Qianlong. In ancient times, peach tree bark (jintaopi金桃皮) was believed to ward off evil forces; accordingly, each sabre was presented in a peach tree scabbard as a talisman to protect the state from foreign invaders. They were a tribute to Emperor Qianlong’s ancestors and a means to warn his descendants to ‘ponder danger in times of peace’.

The production of the sabres took 47 years to complete. The 90 sabres were to be divided into three series: 30 for the ‘Heaven series’, 30 for the ‘Earth series’ and 30 for the ‘People series’.

LEFT: Departure Herald 出警圖 by unknown artist, 26 metres long, Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), painted during Emperor Xuande’s 宣德 reign (1426–1435). This work shows

Emperor Xuande accompanied by a large entourage, including elephants,2 travelling from Beijing to the Ming dynasty tombs in order to pay respect to the emperor’s ancestors. Thirteen Ming emperors were eventually buried in the Ming tombs, which are located in present-day Changping 昌平 district3 . By kind permission of the National Palace Museum.

CENTRE: Imperial Sword Jian 劍 sautoir I – jadeite, yellow sapphire, diamond, black rhodium-plated gold,

white gold, yellow gold. Stylised ruyi motifs are found on the scabbard and the sword hilt pommel, as well as on the rain guard of the double-edged straight sword. The Jian 劍 was used during the last 2,500 years in China. It is known as ‘The Gentleman of Weapons’ and considered one of the four major weapons, alongside the gun 棍 (staff), qiang 槍 (spear) and dao 刀 (sabre).

RIGHT: Imperial Sword sautoir I – white jade, tsavorite garnet, brilliant- and rose-cut diamond, cabochon ruby and sapphire, black rhodium-plated gold, white gold,

yellow gold. The blade is made using hammered white gold. The scabbard is decorated with lotus flowers and windswept grass. Inspired by the Qianlong Heavenly Sword series.

THIS PAGE LEFT: Imperial Sword sautoir II – white jade, tsavorite garnet, brilliant- and rose-cut diamond, cabochon ruby and sapphire, black rhodium-plated gold,

white gold, yellow gold. The blade is made using hammered white gold. The scabbard is decorated with lotus flowers and windswept grass. Inspired by the Qianlong Heavenly Sword series.

RIGHT: Imperial Qianlong Heavenly Baoteng 寶騰 sword – steel blade, white jade, made in the palace workshops of the Imperial Household Department by order of Emperor Qianlong 乾隆. Fitted with a white jade handle and a steel blade inlaid with gold, silver and red copper wire. The scabbard is in lacquered peach tree bark – jintaopi 金桃

皮.Courtesy of Sotheby’s Hong Kong.

_____________________________________________ SPREAD FROM TOP TO BOTTOM, LEFT TO RIGHT: Banzhi Grey Granite thumb ring – granite, sterling silver. Banzhi Moss Agate thumb ring – moss agate, yellow gold. Banzhi Mottled Granite thumb ring – granite, yellow gold. Banzhi Blue Agate thumb ring – agate, sterling silver. Banzhi Chatoyant Quartz thumb ring – chatoyant quartz, sterling silver. Banzhi Brown Agate thumb ring – agate, sterling silver. Banzhi Yellow Agate thumb ring – agate, sterling silver. Banzhi White Nephrite thumb ring – white nephrite, diamond, yellow gold. Banzhi Sodalite thumb ring – sodalite, sterling silver. Banzhi Rutilated Quartz thumb ring – rutilated quartz, yellow gold. Banzhi Green Nephrite thumb ring – green nephrite, diamond, yellow gold. Banzhi Mottled Agate thumb ring – agate, sterling silver. Banzhi Lime Agate thumb ring – agate, sterling silver. Banzhi Wenge Wood thumb ring – wenge wood, diamond, yellow gold. Banzhi Big Dipper Lapis Lazuli thumb ring – lapis lazuli, diamond, yellow gold. Banzhi Brown Adventurine Quartz thumb ring – adventurine quartz, yellow gold. Banzhi Big Dipper Jasper thumb ring – jasper, diamond, yellow gold. . Banzhi Unakite thumb ring – unakite, yellow gold. Banzhi Black Adventurine Quartz thumb ring – adventurine quartz, sterling silver. Banzhi Green Adventurine Quartz thumb ring – adventurine, sterling silver. Note the ‘coin’, haitang and the tortoise shell open latticeworks on the inside of each thumb ring.