Description:

A Pair of Large Fahua-Glazed Stoneware 'Chiwen' Architectural Roof Tiles, Ming Dynasty, 15th-16th Century
明 十五至十六世纪 大型珐华琉璃'鸱吻'一对

Rendered in deep aubergine, turquoise, and yellow glazes, each of the large dragon-form heads modeled to grip an architectural beam between their mouths
本对珐华鸱吻釉色以深紫红、松石蓝及黄彩交映,龙首硕大,张口作咬持梁木状,造型雄健威严。
height 17 in — 43.2 cm

Estimate: $5,000—7,000 CAD

  • Provenance: Pao & Moltke, Ltd., Toronto, ON
    来源:
    多伦多鲍恒发遗产珍藏
  • Dimensions: height 17 in — 43.2 cm
  • Notes: Chiwen, resembling a fish-like dragon with a short body and a large, gaping mouth, is typically placed at both ends of a building’s roof ridge. These distinctive ornaments are believed to ward off evil spirits and harmful influences. Additionally, Chiwen is associated with water and rain, and is thought to bring auspicious rains that protect wooden structures from fire—further reinforcing its dual role as a protective deity and ornamental design feature.

    Glazed ceramic tiles such as the current lot are low-fired, lead-glazed architectural components, with their use in roofing dating back to at least the early 5th century. By the Tang Dynasty, glazed tiles were widely used across important sites such as Jiexiu, where a 795 CE inscription references a “Glazed Tile Temple,” indicating early production. Shanxi, particularly Jiexiu, became a major centre of glazed tile craftsmanship during the Yuan and Ming dynasties, with notable innovations in colour, including a distinctive black glaze found only in Yangcheng and Jiexiu. The current tiles, featuring blue, yellow, and black glaze, share these technical and stylistic characteristics, suggesting they originated in Shanxi.

    Compare with examples from Sotheby's New York, March 29, 2022, lot 629, price realised 31,500 USD; Christie's New York, September 20, 2024, lot 1043, price realised 11,340 USD; and a set of fahua-glazed stoneware tiles at the British Museum, accession number 2006,0503.1.1-20
    https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2022/china-5000-years-2/two-sancai-glazed-dragon-tiles-ming-dynasty-ming
    https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6494904
    https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_2006-0503-1-1-20

    鸱吻,龙鱼之形,体短口阔,常饰于屋脊两端。其形制独特,传说具有辟邪驱凶之力。鸱吻亦与水与雨相关,被视为祥瑞之象,能祈甘霖,护木构不焚,兼具神灵守护与建筑装饰双重功能。

    本拍品所见釉陶构件,为低温铅釉建材,其于屋顶之应用最早可追溯至五世纪初。至唐代,琉璃瓦广泛用于各类重要建筑,山西介休即为代表性遗址之一。据载,公元795年所刻碑文已提及“琉璃寺”之名,反映当时釉陶生产已具规模。至元明时期,山西成为琉璃工艺重镇,尤其介休与阳城出产之黑釉最具地域特色,别具一格。

    本组鸱吻构件所用蓝、黄及黑釉,展现出山西釉陶一贯的工艺与风格特征,推测即出自该地区。

    类似一例请参考纽约苏富比2022年3月29日售出,拍品编号629,售价$31,500美金,另一例安思远旧藏于纽约佳士得2024年9月20日售出,拍品编号1043,售价$11,340美金,以及大英博物馆,馆藏编号:2006,0503.1.1-20
    https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2022/china-5000-years-2/two-sancai-glazed-dragon-tiles-ming-dynasty-ming
    https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-6494904
    https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_2006-0503-1-1-20

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August 21, 2025 2:00 PM EDT
Toronto, ON, CA

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