項元汴,明代著名收藏傢、鑒賞傢。工繪畫,兼擅書法,造詣極深。本書中圖片概由其描繪所呈,彆緻而有感染力,可見其對古瓷的理解與藝術修養之精深,曆經四百多年後仍為世人所喜愛。1868年1月,英國醫生蔔士禮,前往北京擔任英國駐華使館醫師,並兼任京師同文館醫學教習。他在中國居住長達32年,期間不僅精通瞭中文,還撰寫瞭許多關於中國藝術、錢幣學、地理、曆史等方麵的論文。1900年退休後迴到英國,此後齣版瞭《中國美術》(Chinese Art,1905年-1906年)、《中國瓷器》(Chinese Porcelain,1908年)、《中國陶瓷圖說》(Description of Chinese Pottery and Porcelain,1910年)等著作,並翻譯瞭明代收藏傢項元汴先生的《曆代名瓷圖譜》。
1 TING YAO of the Sung dynasty. Copy of an ancient Sacrificial Vessel of Wen Wang. 宋定窯仿古文王鼎
2 KUAN YAO of the Sung dynasty. Copy of an ancient T’ao-t’ich Sacrificial Vessel. 宋官窯仿古饕餮鼎
3 Purple TING YAO of the Sung dynasty. Copy of an ancient Sacrificial Vessel engraved with cicada designs. 宋紫定窯仿古蟬文鼎
4 TING YAO of the Sung dynasty. Ancestral Vessel with monsters’ heads and band of scroll design. 宋定窯仿古獸麵雷文彝
5 KUAN YAO of the Sung dynasty. Incense Burner with loop handles and manmillated feet. 宋官窯衝耳乳爐
6 HSUAN YAO of the Ming dynasty. Antique Censer with fish-shaped handles decorated in deep red with ruddy clouds melting in the sunat dawn. 明宣窯積紅硃霞映雪魚耳香爐
7 HUNG-CHIH YAO of the Ming dynasty. Small Incense Burner shaped as an archaic ‘oak basket’. 明弘治窯象籃小鼎
8 KUAN YAO of the Sung dynasty. Ink Palette inscribed with an augury of great peace. 宋官窯太平有象硯