Brief Introduction to Blue and White Jar with Cover and Famille Verte Design of Fish and Alga

Brief Introduction to Blue and White Jar with Cover and Famille Verte Design of Fish and Alga,Jiajing Period, Ming Dynasty
略谈明嘉靖青花五彩鱼藻纹罐


Blue and White Jar with Cover and Famille Verte Design of Fish and Alga, Jiajing Period, Ming Dynasty
过去学界一般认为青花五彩创烧于明成化，后由于1985年在西藏日喀则的萨迦寺发现了一件宣德青花五彩莲池鸳鸯纹碗和一个高足碗，1988年又在景德镇御窑厂遗址出土同样纹饰的两件宣德青花五彩盘，遂使青花五彩创烧于宣德成为定论。
In the past, scholars generally held that blue and white ceramics with famille verte designs were fired in Chenghua Period of Ming Dynasty. However, a blue and white bowl with famille verte design of lotus pond (Xuande Period) and a stem bowl were discovered in Sakya Monastery, Rikaze, Tibet in 1985. Two other blue and white dishes with the same famille verte designs were unearthed at the ruins of Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln in 1988. Consequently, it is concluded that blue and white ceramics with famille verte designs were first fired in Xuande Period.
其实，出现的早晚有时不是关键，譬如，成化青花五彩就达到近乎于空前绝后的艺术境界，在某种意义上还诱发了“斗彩”的诞生。尽管后世官窑与民窑艺人曾竞相效法，但终究难以逾越。笔者认为，古往今来，惟个人的艺术造诣、绘画理念和审美境界不与时代的发展相一致，也常常不以工艺的进步同步，诚如古来摹写《兰亭》甚至可达传神的人甚众，但再造右军则殆难成就。所以，由木匠而成为画家者，千百年来就是一个齐白石，而白石翁“学我者生，似我者死”则一直被奉为至理明言。
In fact, it is not an essential point when this type of works of art originated. For instance, blue and white ceramics with famille verte designs produced in Chenghua period nearly reached an artistic standard unparalleled in history, and in a certain sense triggered the birth of “clashing colors”. Numerous official and private kilns in the subsequent generations tried to copy the craftsmanship of Chenghua period, but all failed to surpass. In my opinion, the artistic accomplishment, the philosophy of painting and the aesthetical faculties of individuals do not match the development of the times, and do not synchronize with the progress of craftsmanship. Even though countless calligraphers can excellently copy Lantingxu of Wang Xizhi, none of them became another Wang Xizhi. So, only one carpenter, Qi Baishi, became a great artist, and Qi Baishi’s words, “whoever learns from me will prosper and whoever copies me will perish”, has become a proverb.
时至嘉靖朝，青花五彩于一朝间从面貌到韵味都发生了一次巨大的变化，仅以嘉靖青花五彩鱼藻纹盖罐为例，竟判若云泥。一取典雅，以极淡雅之青花为主，矾红色的游鱼并不刻意夸张；一取浓艳，青花发色浓艳并加添绿、黄、红釉之诸般水藻纹。同时，两者虽都刻画有非常写实的红鲤鱼，可是前者以三层水草、水藻、束莲为主，鱼游其间，动静相宜；后者下部为水草、荷叶、莲花散布，上部藻类、落花散落星罗，鱼则极夸张，硕大而略显笨拙，更添加俯视效果图者，遂使画面之完整与透视感均显杂乱。但两者相加，全球传世真品仅见7件。国内一件藏于故宫博物院，一件藏于国家博物馆，一件藏于首都博物馆，一件藏于天津博物馆，海外除英国一件外，另两件原为“暂得楼”旧藏。
During Jiajing Period, a revolution took place in the appearance and aesthetic appeal of blue and white ceramics with famille verte designs. Blue and white jars with cover and famille verte design of fish and alga produced in Jiajing Period might be poles apart. Some are inclined to be graceful with very plain and elegant blue and white design. The red fishes are not deliberately exaggerated. Some are rich and luxuriant with gaudy blue and white and green, yellow and red glazed design of alga. Red carps are realistically depicted on the jar in both styles. In one style, alga, waterweed and lotus dominate the whole picture with fishes swimming among them. In the other, in contrast, fishes are so exaggerated that they look somewhat clumsy with waterweed, lotus leaves and blossoms, alga and fallen blossoms scattered here and there, making the picture chaotic. Counting both styles, there are merely 7 authentic such wares existing throughout the world. In China, there is one in the Palace Museum, one in the National Museum of China, one in Capital Museum, and one in Tianjin Museum. Overseas, one is in the United Kingdom and the other two were hoarded by Zan De Lou.