Description: Amethyst of purple color in the upper and clear color in the lower part, natural inclusions
China, Qing Dynasty
This finely carved amethyst sculpture features He Xiangu, the only female immortal of the Baxian. She is portrayed, holding a vase with a lingzhi spray in her right hand and is leaning against a rock formation overgrown by more of the fungus of immortality. Especially the neatly incised hair and the vivid facial features attest to the artist’s capability.
The artist has cleverly used the natural color play of the stone to highlight the upper part of the figure which stands out due to its purple hue whilst the rock and the lower part of the gown are of near clear color.
Shape: Figural shape
Dimensions: 12 cm (height), 8 cm (length), 4 cm (width)
Condition: Good condition with fine hand patina
Provenance: Old Austrian Private collection, assembled in the 1930s to early 1950s
Literature comparison: For an interesting article on Chinese Hardstone Carvings and specifically on the artists’ use of Amethyst material with its purple / clear color scheme see: Sun, Jason. “Chinese Hardstone Carvings.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, June 2016.
清代紫晶雕何仙姑
品相良好,包漿溫潤
奧地利私人老收藏,上世紀三十年代至五十年代初購入