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Expert’s note
A sense of naturalism is successfully achieved in this boulder through carefully observed details, such as the gently swaying sleeve of the robes of the figures and the different textures of the rocks and pine trees. The striking blue and contrasting milky-white and mica inclusions of the stone have been cleverly utilized to convey a serene misty atmosphere that is reminiscent of the rendering of nature often seen in traditional Chinese ink paintings.
China, 1736-1795. The substantial boulder of mountain form, skillfully carved with a continuous scene to render a mountainous setting, one side with a scholar and an attendant conversing on a flight of steps before several pavilions, all surrounded by jagged rockwork, the idyllic setting further decorated with a crane below overhanging tall pine trees, the reverse similarly rendered with impressive boulders, further decorated with a recumbent doe resting on a bridge above a gushing stream, the stone of a rich royal blue color accentuated with streaks of gold flecks and milky-white inclusions.
The crane, deer, and pine allude to the homophonic blessings of prosperity, wealth, and longevity.
Provenance: Lyon & Turnbull, 2 December 2014, lot 247. The private collection of Jules Speelman, London, acquired from the above. Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 2 October 2018, lot 3431, mid-estimate HKD 900,000 or approx. EUR 115,000 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Jules Speelman is a world-leading dealer and collector of East Asian art with 60 years of experience. In 1964 he joined his late father, Alfred, in the family business which already stretched back three generations to 19th century Holland and expanded into England around the turn of the century. Originally, A & J Speelman dealt with antiques, from European ceramics, silver, tapestries, and furniture to Chinese porcelain, and works of art. With his father, Jules gradually shifted the focus towards Asia and under Jules Speelman's skilled direction, A & J Speelman is now considered amongst the foremost dealers in Asian antiques, with a particular emphasis on figurative sculpture and works of art from the past 2000 years.
Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear.
Weight: 1,015 g (excl. stand), 1,168 g (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Length 19.3 cm (excl. stand), 21 cm (incl. stand)
With a fitted carved wood stand, precisely shaped to conform to the contours of the boulder. (2)
Unlike many stones found within China’s own mineral resources, lapis lazuli was a rare and highly prized material imported primarily from Afghanistan. Its intense indigo-blue color, associated with the celestial realm, made it especially suitable for objects of ritual and ceremonial significance, while the mineral itself also served as the source of the precious ultramarine pigment used in religious mural paintings. Objects carved from lapis lazuli for the scholar’s desk are exceptionally rare, although a small number of mountain carvings and table screens are known.
The high esteem in which this material was held during the Qianlong period is further demonstrated by the production of numerous objects carved from other materials and dyed to imitate its distinctive appearance, including an 18th-century carved stone table screen, dyed to imitate lapis lazuli, preserved in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, object number B60J13+.
Literature comparison:
Compare a related lapis lazuli mountain with landscape scene, dated 18th century, 15.9 cm long, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 65.86.183a, b. Compare a related lapis lazuli miniature mountain, dated Qing dynasty, 15.6 cm long, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, reference number 故雜000370N000000000.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 5 April 2017, lot 3631
Price: HKD 937,500 or approx. EUR 120,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: An imperially inscribed lapis lazuli ‘Bodhidharma’ boulder, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period
Expert remark: Compare the closely related stone and manner of carving. Note the different subject and the inscription.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s London, 7 November 2007, lot 379
Price: GBP 41,300 or approx. EUR 81,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A good lapiz lazuli ‘landscape’ boulder carving, Qing dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related stone, manner of carving, and subject.
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