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Cast and Chased

The Influence of Ancient Chinese Bronze on Modern Silver

錘鍊鏤鑄

中國古代青銅器與現代銀器

Curated by Dr Florian Knothe

Edited by Dr Florian Knothe and Wei Qing Jasmin Lin

Website designed by Wei Qing Jasmin Lin

策展人：羅諾德博士

文字編輯：羅諾德博士，連維清

網站設計：連維清

OUR COURSES

Introduction

Cast and Chased forms part of the University Museum’s UMAG_STArts series on science and technology in the arts, which presents the materials and techniques used to create artwork throughout Chinese cultural history. By juxtaposing early Chinese bronzes from the UMAG collection with silverware made by Wai Kee Jewellers Ltd. (est. 1885) for twentieth-century Hong Kong connoisseur Kwan Sai Tak, this exhibition considers the enduring characteristics of fine Chinese metalwork.

Chinese bronzes of the Shang dynasty (c.1600–1046 BCE) and the Zhou dynasty (c.1046–256 BCE) are among the most celebrated domestic and ritual objects in Asian material culture. The quality of the metal alloys and the technical expertise required for casting and chasing are testament to the highly developed manufacturing techniques. Made from tin-copper alloys with varying concentrations of lead, these objects were created in smelting sites located along the Yellow River in Central China. Many of the utilitarian vessels were decorated with cloud designs, taotie, animal masks and other auspicious symbols.

Celebrated today for their enduring beauty, early Chinese bronzes also include practical objects, such as cooking and storage vessels, which offer insight into both the cultures from which they developed, as well as more contemporary objects. Their ornate splendour and utilitarian features have noticeably influenced the fanciful modern sterling silver pieces, while the craftsmanship emphasises the long-practiced technique of casting and chasing. This level of refined detail exemplifies the quality of Chinese metalworking throughout the millennia.

導言

《錘鍊鏤鑄》為香港大學美術博物館「藝創啟動」（UMAG_STArts）企劃展覽之一。此企劃旨在從科學與技術角度探討藝術創作，剖析物料和技法如何締造中國文化史上各種藝術瑰寶。展覽透過並置館藏中國早期青銅珍品及一批由惠記珠寶有限公司（創立於1885 年）為二十世紀香港鑑賞家關世德先生定製的銀器，揭示中國文化長河裡恆久不衰的精湛金屬工藝。

商周時代（約公元前1600年至前256年）的青銅鑄器，為亞洲物質文化中最享負盛名的日用器及禮器。在材質和技術方面，商周青銅器所採用的優良合金以及精巧的鑄鏤技藝，不僅印證古文明深藏於一器一物間，更彰顯先賢「致廣大而盡精微」的智慧。青銅器原產於中國中部黃河流域的冶煉遺址，以不同鉛含量的銅錫合金製成。當中不少器物均以雲紋、饕餮獸面紋或其他吉祥符號作紋飾。

青銅器歷久彌新的尊貴美態使其至今備受頌揚。除作為禮器外，青銅器亦作煮食或貯藏之用，既讓觀者一睹商周時代的文化風采，也使人聯繫至現今的日常器皿。青銅器的華麗造型及實用性啟發後世創作，尤見於是次展出的現代銀器，箇中工藝突顯鑄造鏨刻技術的悠久歷史。古今器物細膩超卓的造型相互輝映，乃中國綿延數千年的金屬工藝的最佳例證。

I. Casting Bronzes

一、青銅器冶鑄技術

Ancient Chinese bronze vessels like the li were based on traditional ceramic objects, and in some cases served the same domestic and ritual functions. Though the bronze variants were more difficult and expensive to produce, Chinese craftsmen relied on the same set of skills and experience, as the bronzes required similar clay working techniques for creating the ceramic molds. The liquid tin-copper alloy was carefully poured into the piece-molds, from which the cast object was taken after the metal cooled and solidified. This sophisticated process could be replicated to produce several of the same type object from a single mold. The inner surface of the mold in direct contact with the metal determined the shape and surface decoration of the bronze. Where the individual parts of the mold met, the impression would transfer onto the object. This impression was cleaned off when the bronze was chased to emphasise and refine the cast shapes and ornamental designs.

中國古代青銅器（例如鬲）參照傳統陶器製作而成，當中一些式樣具備與陶器相同的禮儀性質及日用功能。相比陶器，冶鑄青銅器雖更為困難和昂貴，然製作鑄銅所需陶範和製陶近似，匠人實際上可將製陶技術和經驗活用至製造鑄銅模範中。匠人謹慎地將液態銅錫合金傾注入陶範，待其冷卻凝固後，即從範中取出。通過此法，同一陶範可重複使用以製作式樣相同的鑄件。而鑄件之形體與表層紋飾取決於外範內壁，即與鑄件外層直接接觸的部分。若鑄型時使用多於一個塊範，塊範間的空隙會形成披縫並殘留在成品表面。匠人鏨刻裝飾銅器時，會清除此等鑄痕，突顯成品形態精緻規整。

Earthenware

Shandong Province, China

Neolithic period, Longshan culture (2400–1900 BCE)

13.3 (H) x 15.3 (W) cm

HKU.C.1955.0153

鬲

陶器

中國山東省

新石器時代，龍山文化（公元前2400年至前1900年）

13.3 (高) x 15.3 (闊) 厘米

HKU.C.1955.0153

This tripod vessel is known as a li. It first appeared in the Longshan culture during the Neolithic period (2400–1900 BCE), and was used for cooking or occasionally in burial ceremonies. It was a prototype for similarly shaped bronze vessels in the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

Ceramic li vessels often were decorated with patterns formed by rope impressions, which increased the heating efficiency of cooking vessels by maximising the available surface area.

此三足器稱為「鬲」。「鬲」首見於新石器時代（公元前2400年至前1900年）的龍山文化，為一種煮食炊具，偶爾亦作陪葬品。此類陶鬲乃商周時代形制相近的青銅器之原型。

陶鬲多以拍印繩紋為裝飾。這種裝飾可提升器物表面的受熱面積以強化炊器的加熱功能。