文本刊記者 張亞萌 ZHANG Yameng
圖片版權(quán)歸阿勒薩尼收藏(The Al Thani Collection)所有
Photo's copyright is owned by The Al Thani Collection
展覽現(xiàn)場Site of exhibition
從成吉思汗和帖木兒的后裔到多位知名印度王公的時代,跨越5個世紀,270余件珠寶杰作帶領(lǐng)觀眾探尋創(chuàng)作于南亞次大陸的寶石藝術(shù)和靈感,這些源于印度的珠寶珍罕杰作,展現(xiàn)了綿延500年的精致藝術(shù)品味和完美手工工藝——4月17日至6月18日,包含“皇室臻選:藝術(shù)珍品展”和“瑰麗梵星:印度高級珠寶展”兩大部分的“銘心擷珍——卡塔爾阿勒薩尼收藏展”呈現(xiàn)在故宮博物院午門展廳和西雁翅樓展廳。
“皇室臻選:藝術(shù)珍品展”的280余件藝術(shù)文物珍品跨域五千年人類文明歷程,古代的奇珍異寶與巧奪天工的現(xiàn)代藝術(shù)佳作匯集一堂,共同代表了世界范圍內(nèi)藝術(shù)成就的巔峰。然而,對于珠寶愛好者,最激動的莫過于看到“瑰麗梵星:印度高級珠寶展”中的大珠寶啦!
本次收藏展上270件(組)印度珠寶藝術(shù)的巔峰之作呈現(xiàn)了從莫臥兒王朝直至現(xiàn)代的印度珠寶藝術(shù)。展品中引人注目的藏品眾多,其中不乏富有歷史意義的鉆石、皇室的寶石外殼制成品、寶石裝飾的王權(quán)象征物、頭巾配飾,以及卡地亞等歐洲知名珠寶制造商在印度傳統(tǒng)珠寶形式的啟發(fā)下為大公們創(chuàng)作的精美珍寶。
“瑰麗梵星”的故事從莫臥兒王朝的締造開始。希爾·烏德丁·巴布爾是帖木兒與成吉思汗的后裔,他于1526年來到印度建立起一代王朝,從此這個莫臥兒帝國便與搜集各類珍貴寶石結(jié)下不解之緣。莫臥兒人主要通過征服、饋贈與購買來獲取寶石藏品。他們繼承了祖先帖木兒的傳統(tǒng),在最珍貴的寶石上刻上自己的名字并將其作為傳家寶留給王朝后裔。沙賈汗統(tǒng)治時期對珠寶的推崇達到了頂峰,沙賈汗命人制作了一個輝煌的王座,用琺瑯彩金制成,并鑲嵌大量鉆石、綠寶石、尖晶石、紅寶石和珍珠。
展覽中的許多印度珠寶采用了特殊的鑲嵌工藝,這種工藝將寶石鑲?cè)朦S金時不使用鑲爪,而代之以高延展性的純金箔,在寶石周圍形成分子鏈狀鑲嵌結(jié)構(gòu)。據(jù)介紹,那時的金匠們能使用一種鐵針,讓黃金如絲緞般柔韌地環(huán)繞著各種寶石,并將寶石固定得十分牢固。這一工藝意味著印度的珠寶通常都是代表性的密封鑲嵌。與西方喜歡塑造出對稱形狀不同,印度珠寶在切割時,會盡可能保留珠寶的原有尺寸。另一項制作珠寶的獨特技術(shù)是上釉工藝,首次出現(xiàn)于莫臥兒時期,該技術(shù)的靈感可能源自文藝復(fù)興時期的精美琺瑯首飾。莫臥兒時期的珠寶加工法形成了整個南亞次大陸的品位風(fēng)格,直至18世紀莫臥兒帝國崩潰,但其建立的風(fēng)格樣式卻一直綿延不息。
19世紀,印度的時尚珠寶日益受到西方的影響,尤其在款式、寶石刻面以及鑲嵌底座方面尤為突出,采用了西方敞口式抓鑲底座來固定寶石。而在英國統(tǒng)治印度時期的印度王室被剝奪了所有軍事和政治實權(quán),在這種情況下,權(quán)力和地位越來越多地通過佩戴更為奢華的珠寶得以體現(xiàn)。19世紀末,印度大公們開始使用鉑金取代黃金,作為底座鑲嵌最為貴重的寶石,最終采用了歐洲流行的鑲嵌風(fēng)格。
1911年,雅克·卡地亞前往印度,希望尋找最新的寶石客戶和來源。在訪問期間,他與印度王室持續(xù)接觸,給公司帶來一系列大訂單。以卡地亞為代表的英國和法國珠寶商迅速開始向王公貴族提供產(chǎn)品和定制服務(wù)。同時,歐洲珠寶商還同時收集當?shù)刈髌?,通過重新安裝或鑲嵌,對當時風(fēng)靡時尚圈的異域風(fēng)格加以補充。印度珠寶獨特的審美風(fēng)格也開始激發(fā)西方的前衛(wèi)珠寶創(chuàng)作。而在當代,相比西方珠寶中占據(jù)主流地位的幾何刻面寶石,印度珠寶更有著獨特的外形和切面:刻有印度圖案,采用定制切割的平面鉆石和天然珍珠,珠寶被嵌入隱形式鉑金鑲孔。
“作為阿勒薩尼收藏的創(chuàng)始人,人們常常問我為何會收集這一系列的藏品。收藏藝術(shù)品源于我對歷史和美好事物全身心的熱愛,起初我的收藏僅有幾件藝術(shù)品,它們不僅外觀迷人,更蘊含歷史意義。美學(xué)與歷史的交融常常體現(xiàn)在珠寶作品中?!卑⒗账_尼收藏的主人、卡塔爾皇室成員謝赫·哈馬德·本·阿卜杜拉·阿勒薩尼殿下表示。
珠寶的歷史,也有可能是地理的歷史——自古以來,印度因其富饒的珍稀寶石礦藏和精湛的珠寶制作工藝在全球享有盛譽。這種珠寶文化傳統(tǒng)在一定程度上拜自然環(huán)境所賜——南亞早已是寶石之鄉(xiāng):德干高原出產(chǎn)質(zhì)地精良的鉆石,克什米爾地區(qū)出產(chǎn)光彩奪目的藍寶石,巴達赫尚則是珍貴的尖晶石的來源地。此外,人們還可以從臨近的斯里蘭卡與緬甸獲得藍寶石、紅寶石,并從波斯灣進口珍珠。南美洲哥倫比亞的祖母綠礦被發(fā)現(xiàn)后,歐洲商人又通過商業(yè)貿(mào)易將這些祖母綠帶到印度。
珠寶的故事,也更是文化的故事——從古時起,南亞次大陸就向東方和西方出口香料及紡織品,借此換取金銀。珍貴金屬被心靈手巧的印度工匠幻化為一件件藝術(shù)品,達到極高的藝術(shù)境界,此行業(yè)一直延續(xù)至今。在印度,珠寶不停留在裝飾層面,每一種寶石都寓意深遠,或表征寰宇深意,或求庇吉祥星象;而在通俗文化中,那些室內(nèi)裝飾、禮服、武器和家具上的珠寶的特定樣式反映出階級、種姓、地區(qū)、婚姻狀況或財富。
祖母綠項鏈Emerald necklace
珍珠項鏈Pearl necklace
頭巾配飾Headscarf accessories
From the ages of Genghis Khan and Timur to several well-known Indian monarchs, more than 270 jewelry masterpieces over five centuries led the audiences to explore the gemstone art and inspiration created in the South Asian subcontinent, showcasing 500 years of exquisite artwork and perfect handmade craftsmanship, the Treasures from The Al Thani Collection including such two major parts as Masterpieces from a Royal Collection and Gems and Jewels from India has been held at the Meridian Gallery and West Yanchi Building Showroom of the Palace Museum from April 17thto June 18th.
More than 280 pieces of art treasures of the Masterpieces froma Royal Collectioncross the 5000-year domain of human civilization. The ancient treasures and the masterpieces of modern art are brought together to represent the pinnacle of artistic achievement worldwide.However, the most exciting moment for Amateurs like me is to witness the large jewels in"Gems and Jewels from India"!
The 270 pieces (set) of India's jewelry art featured in this collection exhibition presented the Indian jewelry art from the Mughal Empire to modern times.Amongst all the exhibits,there are a large number of eye-catching collections, including historical diamonds, imperial jeweled shells, royal emblems decorated by jewels, headscarf accessories, and the magnificent treasures for dukes and princes with the inspiration from Indian traditional jewelry styles from famous European.The story of "Magnificent Stars" begins with the creation of the Mughal Empire.Hill Uddin Babur is a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan. He arrived in India in 1526 to establish a generation of dynasties. Since then, the Mughal Empire has been inseparable from the collection of various precious stones.Mughal people mainly acquired gemstones through conquests and gifts for purchase. They have inherited the tradition of their ancestor Timur by engravingpeople’s names on the most precious stone and left it as an heirloom to the descendants of the dynasty.During the reign of Shah Jehan, the respect for jewelry was at its peak. Shah Jehanhas ordered to produce a brilliant throne made of enamel gold and was inlaid with diamonds, emeralds, spinels,rubies, and pearls.
Many of India's jewels in the exhibition use a special tessellation process that uses jewels set in gold without claws, but uses highly malleable pure gold foil to form a molecular chain-like mosaic around the jewels.According to reports, goldsmiths at that time could use a kind of iron needle to allow gold to be silky and satin-like to surround various kinds of precious stones,and fix the stones most firmly. This process means that Indian jewelry is usually a representative of seal inlaid.Unlike the West preferring to create symmetrical shapes, Indian jewelry retains the original size of the jewelry as much as possible.Another unique technique for Indian jewelry is the glazing process, which first appeared in the Mughal period. This technique might be inspired by the fine enamel jewelry of Renaissance.The Mughal jewelry processing method has formed the taste style of the entire South Asian subcontinent until the 18thcentury when Mughal Empire collapsed, but its well-established style has continued to linger.
鸚鵡Parrot
In the 19thcentury, Indian fashion jewelry has been increasingly influenced by the West, especially in the style design, gemstone facets and inlaid pedestals. Western open-style grabbed pedestal was applied to fix the gems. While the Indian royal family was ruled the British colonists, it was deprived of all military and political power. Under such circumstances, power and status were increasingly embodied by wearing more luxurious jewelry.At the end of the 19thcentury, Indian dukes began to use platinum to replace gold as the most precious jewel in the base, and eventually adopted the mosaic style, which was most popular in Europe at that time.
In 1911, Jacques Cartier traveled to India with the hope of finding the newest gemstone customers and sources. During the visit, he continued to contact with the Indian royal family and brought a series of large orders to the company. The British and French jewelers represented by Cartier quickly began offering products and customized services to the royal family.At the same time, European jewelers also collected local works at the same time and re-installed or inlaid them to complement the exotic styles that were fashionable at the time. The unique aesthetic style of Indian jewelry has also initiated to inspire Western avant-garde jewelry creation.However in contemporary times, Indian jewelry has a unique shape and aspect compared with the geometric faceted gem that dominates the Western jewelry:Indian motifs, customized-cut flat diamonds and natural pearls, jewelry embedded in the hidden form of platinum hole.
"As the founder of the Al-Thani collection, people often asked why I would collect this series of collections. The collection of artworks stems from my passion for history and good subjects. At first my collection had only a few artworks. They not only look fascinating, but also have historical significance. The blend of aesthetics and history is often embodied in jewelry works." Master of Al-Thani collection, a member of Qatar royal family, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Thani said.The history of jewelry may also be historyof geography---since the ancient times,India has gained worldwide reputation for its rich and rare gemstone deposits and exquisite jewelry making techniques. This jewelry culture tradition, to a certain extent, thanks to the natural environment - South Asia has long been the home of gems:the Deccan Plateau produces excellent diamonds, Kashmir generates dazzling sapphires, and Badakhshan is the source of precious spinel.In addition, people could also obtain sapphires and rubies from neighboring Sri Lanka and Burma and pearls from the Persian Gulf. After the discovery of Colombia’s emerald mines in South America, European merchants brought these emeralds to India through commercial trade.
The story of jewelry is also a story of culture--- Since the ancient times, the South Asian subcontinent exported spices and textiles to the East and the West in exchange for gold and silver. Precious metal was turned into a work of art by ingenuity of Indian craftsmen, reaching a very high artistic realm, and the industry has continued to live to this day.In India, jewels do not merely remain at the level of decoration. Each jewel is of far-reaching significance, symbolizes profound meaning,or aspires to auspicious horoscopes. In popular culture, there are certain styles of jewelry on interior decorations, dresses, weapons, and furniture, reflecting class,caste, region, marital status or wealth.