A FINELY CARVED BAMBOO 'INSPIRED DELIGHT AMONG STREAMS AND MOUNTAINS' BRUSH POT, BITONG, QING
A FINELY CARVED BAMBOO 'INSPIRED DELIGHT AMONG STREAMS AND MOUNTAINS' BRUSH POT, BITONG, QING DYNASTY
China, 18th to 19th century. Of cylindrical form, the exterior dexterously carved in varying degrees of high relief and openwork with undercutting, the continuous landscape scene depicting a seated sage within a grotto beside a wutong tree; two scholars standing beneath a pine tree amid lush bamboo; and a further scholar sheltered within a pavilion attended by a female servant.
Inscriptions: To one side on a rock, 'Wu Zhifan' and 'Xi shan yi xing' ('Inspired delight among streams and mountains').
Provenance: Bonhams London, 6 November 2008, lot 144 (dated 18th-19th century), sold for GBP 2,400 or approx.
EUR 4,700 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). A private collection in London, United Kingdom, acquired from the above, and thence by descent.
Condition: Very good condition, with expected wear, few natural age cracks, and traces of handling and use. The wood with a fine patina, naturally grown into an elegant honey-golden hue, and a beautiful shine overall.
Weight: 484.5 g
Dimensions: Height 16.8 cm, Diameter 13.8 cm
The present brushpot bears an inscription referring to the celebrated bamboo carver Wu Zhifan, but should not be regarded as a work by the master himself. Rather, the inscription is best understood as a homage to Wu and his highly influential style. The carving probably dates to the late 18th or early 19th century and is of exceptionally fine quality, demonstrating the enduring influence of the Jiading tradition well beyond Wu's lifetime.
Ip Yee and Laurence C. S. Tam, in Chinese Bamboo Carving, Hong Kong, 1978 and 1982, part 2, p. 128, record Wu Zhifan, zi Luzhen and hao Donghai daoren, as a native of Jiading, Jiangsu province, who later settled in Tianjin. Active during the Kangxi period, he became particularly renowned for figural compositions carved in relief against largely undecorated backgrounds, as well as for his depictions of pine trees and his sophisticated rendering of spatial depth.
These characteristic elements are consciously evoked in the present brushpot. The deeply carved landscape, varied levels of relief, areas of plain bamboo, and carefully constructed sense of depth all demonstrate the carver's close engagement with Wu Zhifan's artistic legacy.
Literature comparison:
Compare a related inscribed boxwood brushpot by Wu Zhifan in the Palace Museum, Beijing, object number 故00123752.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 29 May 2022, lot 40
Price: HKD 507,000 or approx.
EUR 60,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A finely carved 'Elegant Gathering in the Western Garden' bamboo brushpot, bitong, 18th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving, and size (17 cm).
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A FINELY CARVED BAMBOO 'INSPIRED DELIGHT AMONG STREAMS AND MOUNTAINS' BRUSH POT, BITONG, QING DYNASTY
China, 18th to 19th century. Of cylindrical form, the exterior dexterously carved in varying degrees of high relief and openwork with undercutting, the continuous landscape scene depicting a seated sage within a grotto beside a wutong tree; two scholars standing beneath a pine tree amid lush bamboo; and a further scholar sheltered within a pavilion attended by a female servant.
Inscriptions: To one side on a rock, 'Wu Zhifan' and 'Xi shan yi xing' ('Inspired delight among streams and mountains').
Provenance: Bonhams London, 6 November 2008, lot 144 (dated 18th-19th century), sold for GBP 2,400 or approx.
EUR 4,700 (converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). A private collection in London, United Kingdom, acquired from the above, and thence by descent.
Condition: Very good condition, with expected wear, few natural age cracks, and traces of handling and use. The wood with a fine patina, naturally grown into an elegant honey-golden hue, and a beautiful shine overall.
Weight: 484.5 g
Dimensions: Height 16.8 cm, Diameter 13.8 cm
The present brushpot bears an inscription referring to the celebrated bamboo carver Wu Zhifan, but should not be regarded as a work by the master himself. Rather, the inscription is best understood as a homage to Wu and his highly influential style. The carving probably dates to the late 18th or early 19th century and is of exceptionally fine quality, demonstrating the enduring influence of the Jiading tradition well beyond Wu's lifetime.
Ip Yee and Laurence C. S. Tam, in Chinese Bamboo Carving, Hong Kong, 1978 and 1982, part 2, p. 128, record Wu Zhifan, zi Luzhen and hao Donghai daoren, as a native of Jiading, Jiangsu province, who later settled in Tianjin. Active during the Kangxi period, he became particularly renowned for figural compositions carved in relief against largely undecorated backgrounds, as well as for his depictions of pine trees and his sophisticated rendering of spatial depth.
These characteristic elements are consciously evoked in the present brushpot. The deeply carved landscape, varied levels of relief, areas of plain bamboo, and carefully constructed sense of depth all demonstrate the carver's close engagement with Wu Zhifan's artistic legacy.
Literature comparison:
Compare a related inscribed boxwood brushpot by Wu Zhifan in the Palace Museum, Beijing, object number 故00123752.
Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 29 May 2022, lot 40
Price: HKD 507,000 or approx.
EUR 60,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A finely carved 'Elegant Gathering in the Western Garden' bamboo brushpot, bitong, 18th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, manner of carving, and size (17 cm).
Buyer's Premium
30%
Sale price
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
