Lot 054 A REPOUSSÉ BRONZE ‘MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURES’ QUADRANGULAR TEAPOT LATE QING DYNASTY – REPUBLIC PERIOD

Description

A REPOUSSÉ BRONZE ‘MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURES’ QUADRANGULAR TEAPOT
LATE QING DYNASTY – REPUBLIC PERIOD
清晚期至民国 铜铸开光神话人物故事纹四方壶
MEASUREMENTS
D. 9.6 cm, 3.7 in.
ESTIMATE
USD 200~300
DESCRIPTION
The bronze teapot is of a sturdy, quadrangular form supported on four short cabriole feet. The body is decorated on two sides with mythological narrative scenes in high relief. One side depicts “Hou Yi Shooting the Suns” (Hou Yi She Jiu Ri), showing the legendary archer aiming at the sky. The other side portrays “Kuafu Chasing the Sun” (Kuafu Zhui Ri). The spout is flanked by calligraphic inscriptions in relief, referencing these legendary feats. The shoulder is embellished with a band of ruyi-head motifs, and the lid features archaic animal patterns with a globular knob. The base is cast with a four-character seal mark in seal script (zhuanshu).
此壶呈四方鼓腹形，下承四足，器型稳重。壶身两侧开光，内以高浮雕技法表现中国上古神话故事。一面绘**“后羿射日”，英雄拉弓欲射，姿态刚劲；另一面绘“夸父逐日”**，展现其奔跑追赶的动态。流嘴两侧铸有相关题材的文字描述。壶肩部饰一周如意云头纹，盖面装饰兽纹，顶设圆珠钮。底足中心铸有“大清乾隆”四字篆书寄托款。
CATALOGUE NOTE
This teapot belongs to a category of decorative bronzewares popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which often utilized apocryphal Qianlong marks to appeal to the antiquarian tastes of the time. The choice of mythological themes like Hou Yi and Kuafu is particularly distinctive, reflecting a deep reverence for foundational Chinese cultural hero-myths.
The repoussé technique provides a strong sense of three-dimensionality, with the figures standing out boldly against the ground. The natural dark patina of the bronze has been preserved, highlighting the intricate details of the casting. While designed in the form of a teapot, such vessels were often intended as decorative objects for the scholar’s studio or as creative incense burners rather than purely functional tea-wares.
此类铜壶属于十九世纪晚期至二十世纪初风行的仿古工艺品。其最大的特色在于将上古神话**“后羿射日”与“夸父逐日”**融入器身装饰，人物刻画生动，极具叙事性。
工艺上采用浮雕与铸造相结合，使得画面空间感极强。虽然底款书“乾隆”寄托款，但从铸工与皮壳特征判断，应为晚清至民国时期的文玩佳作。此类器物不仅展现了当时铜器制作的技艺，更承载了丰富的传统文化内涵，是极具趣味的文房陈设品。
CONDITION REPORT
• Condition: In overall fair to good condition. The bronze shows a naturally aged dark patina with minor oxidation and surface wear consistent with age. Slight blunting to the high-relief details and a minor chip to the tip of the spout.
• 整体品相： 整体品相尚可。铜质呈现自然深色包浆，见微小氧化痕迹及年代感磨损。浮雕高起处见轻微磨损，流嘴尖端见细小缺损。