A pair of framed famille rose round landscape plaques by Cheng Men

Late 19th century

Each is inscribed with a poem and seal. Both sold with wooden frames. (2).

Dia: 10 1/2 in. (plaque only) (Dia: 26.8 cm. (plaque only))

Provenance: Private collection, San Francisco, California.

Click here for high-resolution images.

Cheng Men (1833-1908) was a late Qing prestigious porcelain painter from Yi County, Anhui. He excelled in illustrating landscapes, characters, flora, insects, fish, birds, and animals. Most of his surviving works today are mainly qianjiangcai porcelains, with a small selection of blue and white porcelains. Imitating the style of famous artists in the early Qing, Cheng Men decorated this pair of porcelain plaques with classic and tranquil qianjiangcai paintings while maintaining simplicity. On one screen, Men depicts the sprouting willows and melting river of an early spring, while on the other, he depicts rows of mountains protruding through misty clouds. Cheng integrated the Chinese painting technique of qianjiangcai with porcelain painting, establishing a complementary pairing of verses and inscriptions. He initiated the trend of literati porcelain painting, and was acknowledged as the foremost qianjiangcai porcelain painter.

Beijing Council, June 2014, Lot 2855.

款識：江頭楊柳風，習習吹人面，登樓望故鄉，千里何由見。笠道人寫於昌江郭村並題一詩，以寄概焉鈐印：程（白）程門（1833-1908）清末畫瓷名家，又名增培，字松生，一號雪笠，安徽黟縣人。山水、人物、花卉以至蟲、魚、鳥、獸兼擅其長，晚清時期名噪大江南北。現今傳世程門作品多以淺絳彩瓷爲主，也有少量青花瓷器。本套掛屏一組兩件，均以淺絳彩繪。一件畫面繪有楊柳初綠，江水乍融，另一幅則繪層巒疊起，風輕雲淡。效仿清初四王風格，整體畫面留白豐而不空，筆老而色清、意長而雋永，處處展現了程門淺絳技法的獨到之處，空靈簡約而不失蒼茫遒古，堪稱是淺絳彩藝術與自然的最佳結合物。他將中國畫的淺絳技法運用於瓷畫之上，配以詩句、題款，繪瓷畫如傳統水墨絹本，開文人繪畫瓷器之先河，是公認的淺絳彩瓷第一大家。

參閱北京匡時2014年06月春拍，編號2855。

Significant wear to the inscription of one plaque. Also on this plaque is residue to the top rim and fluoresces under blacklight. On the other, there is a minor abrasion under the inscription. Iron pitting and glaze pops throughout both. Splitting and scuffs to both wooden frames.