乾隆宮廷畫琺瑯「母子圖」研究

Abstract

清代乾隆皇帝統治前十年（1736－1746），積極推動宮廷作坊發展琺瑯複合工藝，在金屬胎琺瑯器上鑲嵌小型琺瑯畫片，或直接用琺瑯顏料在銅、瓷、玻璃胎等器上施彩，而將人物圖像引入畫琺瑯是乾隆劃時代之創舉，以「母子圖」數量最多、樣式最為豐富。這批皇帝所持有的宮中用器，多數配匣入乾清宮典藏或陳設於特定宮室，顯示其不凡地位與意義。乾隆宮廷畫琺瑯「母子圖」展現異於傳統釉上彩紋飾系統的全新面貌，圖畫化特質顯著，囊括中、西方人物類型與風格。

本文首先從繪畫史切入，探索其於中國傳統圖像脈絡中所繼承的形式與內涵。其次，就清宮製作機構、畫家、西洋實物等客觀因素看畫琺瑯「母子圖」形成之背景，藉由爬梳清宮檔案，整理出兩類母子圖的演變過程。乾隆皇帝個人文化理念、對女性家庭角色與皇子家庭教育之重視應是母子題材興起的主因。至於畫琺瑯「母子圖」中的西洋元素、創新模式則可溯及歐洲母子繪畫之內容，特別是文藝復興以來的「聖母子」圖像、十七至十八世紀的母子人物油畫，皆深刻影響了乾隆的審美品味，清宮畫琺瑯多援引西法。然而，乾隆在面對清室祖宗嚴訓、他本人又厲行禁教的情況下，如何看待、允許西洋母子形象並以何種方式積極轉化之，絕非一味模仿。飾有母子主題圖像的畫琺瑯器是中西文化交流的重要媒介。本篇研究提供不同角度理解清宮畫琺瑯工藝的裝飾題材，乾隆將母子圖像轉移至立體器物表面，使中、西母子形象兼容並蓄，在皇帝私有的家庭空間內，畫琺瑯器肩負著新的承載任務與功能，另一方面，其所創新的漢裝母子主題迴響西方世界，實際上確立了代表中國文化意象的母子圖。

In the early reign of the Qianlong Emperor (1736－1746), the composite craftsmanship of enamelware was positively promoted at the imperial workshops. They tried to inlay small painted enamel pieces over the metal enamelware, or to paint the surface of copper, porcelain, and glass vessels with enamel glaze. Introducing figural image into the painted enamel was a groundbreaking work of Qianlong period. Among all the enamelware art pieces, the motif of Mother and Child dominated the amount and the form variations. These works, which were possessed by the emperor, were mostly collected in the Palace of Heavenly Purity(乾清宮) with boxes or were displayed in specific palaces. The way they were stored showed their significant position and meaning during that time. The motif of Mother and Child presented a new style with great differed from the traditional on-glaze decoration pattern. Its features were strongly visualized, and both eastern and western characters as well as styles were included.

The first part of this article introduces the history of painting, and analyzed the forms and the elements of Mother and Child which were influenced by traditional Chinese art works, investigated the background of how Mother and Child motif in the Ch’ing court was created through some objective elements such as the imperial workshops, the painters, and some Western art pieces. By reviewing the archives of Qianlong Dynasty, the evolution of two types of Mother and Child artworks are discussed here. It was presumed that Qianlong’s cultural concept and his emphasis on the role of women in the family and the education of the royals were the trigger of the rise of Mother and Child motif. The Western elements and the innovative form of painted enamels can be traced back to the content of European paintings of Mother and Child theme. Both of the representation of the Virgin and Child during Renaissance and the portrait paintings of Mother and Child in the 17th and 18th centuries had a strong influence on Qianlong’s aesthetic tastes. The painted enamels of the Ch’ing court frequently adopted the painting patterns of Western art pieces. However, with the ancestor’s creed in mind and under the prohibition of religion in his reign, Qianlong had particular means in promoting Mother and Child artworks. How he viewed, introduced, and further transformed the images of Mother and Child into the Ch’ing court is worth discussing. The painted enamelware decorated with images of Mother and Child was the evidence of East-West cultural exchanges. The present article provides various perspectives to help us understand the decoration pattern of painted enamelware made by the workshop in the Ch'ing court. The Emperor Qianlong shifted the picture of Mother and Child from paintings to the surface of vessels, and accommodated both Western and Eastern painting styles in them. These vessels were placed in the imperial private family space. They were assigned to a new role and a new function. On the other hand, Emperor Qianlong innovated a motif of Mother and Child with Chinese Han dressing styles in it. Soon afterwards, the new motif was widely appreciated amongst the Western World, actually. The Chinese Mother and Child image has been established since then.