前  言

“抚外影瞻内,花擎叶反披”，“细如毛发理，浑然无凿痕”，这是对俞艇薄胎玉雕作品的美妙侧写，薄可透光的碧玉之上以水磨工巧琢浪漫富丽的花纹，却“抚触不留手”，实令人惊叹艺者造物之精巧。

薄胎玉器在清代宫庭中是非常名贵而有特色的，当时又被称为痕都斯坦玉器或西番作玉器，此类风格源于西亚，具有胎薄晶莹如纸、打磨工艺精湛，花纹繁复精致的特点。

在乾隆一生所题全部御制诗中，共有五十六首是关于题咏痕都斯坦薄胎玉器的，常咏赞其“制绝精巧”，就连一向被乾隆推崇的苏州玉工与其相比亦是“水磨天方巧，专诸未足论”“内地玉工,谢弗及也”。

而今日的苏州艺者俞艇，师法前人而不泥古，将自己的艺术思想和人文情怀注入薄胎玉雕作品中，他的玉雕作品胎壁薄如蝉翼，花纹纤毫如丝，晶莹薄透的精致感令人折服。

苏州的玉雕是温润含蓄的，也是灵动精巧的，从业二十余年来，俞艇苦心孤诣专注于薄胎器皿的传承和提升，看似反复琢磨的完美画面却每每是兴之所至的神来一笔，每一丝线条皆是他在时间和经验中打磨出的得心应手与宛若天成。他将苏州的气质融合于每一件作品中，同时也使玉雕完成了从“器”到“艺”的转变。

同时感谢俞艇先生捐赠玉雕作品《四方来仪尊》，为丰富我馆馆藏作出贡献。

苏州博物馆馆长 陈瑞近

Preface

The jades carved by Mr. Yu Ting are usually praised as thin as egg-shell with its superb craftsmanship and refinement. He polishes the transparent jasper with water to make exuberant patterns on it, but don’t feel like artificial, which astonishes the audiences with his ingenuity.

The egg-shell jade, which was also called Hindustan jade, was highly precious and special in the court of the Qing dynasty. This kind of style was derived from West Asia. The jade is as thin as paper and as crystal as glass. The artist applies highly-skilled craft to the jade and create sophisticated and exquisite patterns on it.

Among all the poems composed by Emperor Qianlong during his life, fifty-six were dedicated to Hindustan jades for its delicacy. He even made comparison between the Hindustan jade and Suzhou-style jade, which he used to speak highly of, and considered the latter inferior to the Hindustan jade.

Mr. Yu Ting, the contemporary artist of Suzhou origin, learns from the predecessors but is not confined to their artistry. He combines his own philosophy and feelings with the egg-shell jades, and impresses the audiences with the refined works of art.

The jade of Suzhou conveys a gentle and reserved feeling as well as a natural spirit. During over twenty years of his career, Yu Ting has been committed to the inheritance and improvement of the craft on the egg-shell jade. Sometimes the design on the work of art seems to be the result of his repeated thinking, but it turns out to be a flash of light into his mind. Every vivid detail comes from the time and efforts he spent on the works. He combines Suzhou’s temperament with his jades and manages to turn the jade carving from craft to art.

In the meantime, sincere thanks go to Mr. Yu Ting for his donation of his works, which enriches our collections.

Chen Ruijin

Director of Suzhou Museum