拍品专文
For a glass bottle by the same artist, painted on one side with Tan Xinpei in the same role, see Sotheby's, New York, Important Chinese Snuff Bottles, from the Mei Ling Collection, March 15, 1984, lot 203. That example, dated 1901, is signed on the other side, and depicts a hen and her chicks on a mossy bank rather than the Tan actor. For three others see Sotheby's, Hong Kong, Fine Chinese Snuff Bottles, The Arthur Gadsby Collection, November 2, 1978, lot 36, described as painted on each side with a famous Peking Opera actor but illustrating only the side depicting Tan Xinpei in the role of General Huang Zhong; Bob C. Stevens, The Collector's Book of Snuff Bottles, Tokyo, 1976, p. 242, pl. 874; and Chinese Snuff Bottles, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Catalogue, 1977, p. 114, pl. 279
Emily Byrne Curtis, op. cit., pp. 80-85, notes in her chapter, "Members of the Peking Theater", that "All the characters in the Chinese drama, commonly known as the Peking Opera, can be placed in four categories. The first, Sheng, consists of the male character parts for unpainted faces. Female roles (played by men) come under the heading of Tan, while those of the painted face characters are Ching, and lastly, Ch'ou, the term for comedians. Within this framework are various subdivisions such as Hsiao-sheng, youthful parts, Wu-sheng, requiring gymastic skills, and Lao-sheng, usually the role of a dignified bearded gentleman or general. The celebrated actor, T'an Hsin-p'ei (Tan Xinpei) specialized in Lao-sheng parts such as that of General Huang Chung in Ting Chün Shan ('The Battle for Ting Chün Hills')."
She continues, "One of the 'three famous natives of Hupeh province' (the other two being Li Yän-hung and the other the famous courtesan Hsiao-a-feng). T'an Hsin-p'ei developed the Sheng roles to a new technical level based mostly on his individual vocal style. Much has been written about T'an's voice, which was said to have been silvery-toned, sweet and intoxicating. Audiences sat spellbound, often with their eyes shut, and called him 'the little hailer to the heavens'."
Curtis further discourses on his financial rewards, strict acting discipline, opium habit, late movie career and his untimely death in the winter of l917. She illustrates this very bottle but does not identify the Tan actor. However, a few pages on, she illustrates a photograph of Wang Yao-qing, a Tan actor particularly well-known for his association with Tan Xinpei. It seems likely, based on a certain similarity of facial type and this association, that the Tan actor depicted in this bottle is one and the same
Curtis continues, "Wang had achieved great fame in the drama Ssu Lang T'an Mu ('Ssu Lang Visits His Mother'), a work he usually performed with T'an Hsin-p'ei. Although this play is set in the eleventh century, historical accuracy is not one of the requirements of Chinese drama, and Wang Yao-ch'ing created a sensation by appearing in a very stylish Manchu lady's costume with such flair that he immediately established a precedent for all future interpreters of that role. T'an Hsin-p'ei made many vocal innovations, but Wang was the first Chinese actor to pay attention to expression and movement, and he introduced a greater fluidity to the old forms."
Emily Byrne Curtis, op. cit., pp. 80-85, notes in her chapter, "Members of the Peking Theater", that "All the characters in the Chinese drama, commonly known as the Peking Opera, can be placed in four categories. The first, Sheng, consists of the male character parts for unpainted faces. Female roles (played by men) come under the heading of Tan, while those of the painted face characters are Ching, and lastly, Ch'ou, the term for comedians. Within this framework are various subdivisions such as Hsiao-sheng, youthful parts, Wu-sheng, requiring gymastic skills, and Lao-sheng, usually the role of a dignified bearded gentleman or general. The celebrated actor, T'an Hsin-p'ei (Tan Xinpei) specialized in Lao-sheng parts such as that of General Huang Chung in Ting Chün Shan ('The Battle for Ting Chün Hills')."
She continues, "One of the 'three famous natives of Hupeh province' (the other two being Li Yän-hung and the other the famous courtesan Hsiao-a-feng). T'an Hsin-p'ei developed the Sheng roles to a new technical level based mostly on his individual vocal style. Much has been written about T'an's voice, which was said to have been silvery-toned, sweet and intoxicating. Audiences sat spellbound, often with their eyes shut, and called him 'the little hailer to the heavens'."
Curtis further discourses on his financial rewards, strict acting discipline, opium habit, late movie career and his untimely death in the winter of l917. She illustrates this very bottle but does not identify the Tan actor. However, a few pages on, she illustrates a photograph of Wang Yao-qing, a Tan actor particularly well-known for his association with Tan Xinpei. It seems likely, based on a certain similarity of facial type and this association, that the Tan actor depicted in this bottle is one and the same
Curtis continues, "Wang had achieved great fame in the drama Ssu Lang T'an Mu ('Ssu Lang Visits His Mother'), a work he usually performed with T'an Hsin-p'ei. Although this play is set in the eleventh century, historical accuracy is not one of the requirements of Chinese drama, and Wang Yao-ch'ing created a sensation by appearing in a very stylish Manchu lady's costume with such flair that he immediately established a precedent for all future interpreters of that role. T'an Hsin-p'ei made many vocal innovations, but Wang was the first Chinese actor to pay attention to expression and movement, and he introduced a greater fluidity to the old forms."