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A RARE SOAPSTONE FIGURE OF A
VAJRAPUTRA
Signed Shangjun, 17th century
The luohan finely carved with almond-shaped eyes,
tightly coiled hair and beard, garbed in a cloak
draped over one shoulder, the hem carved with the
Shangjun two-character mark, seated with one knee
raised, left arm and shoulder turned out holding a
bat with both hands towards his chest, a fierce lion
affectionately clambering up his calf, of semi-opaque
cream-coloured stone with russet streaks.
7.5cm (3in) high.
£12,000 - 18,000
CNY110,000 - 160,000
Please note this Lot is to be sold at No Reserve.
本拍品不設底價

十七世紀 壽山石雕笑獅羅漢
「尚均」刻款

Published, Illustrated and Exhibited: Roger
Keverne Ltd., Summer Exhibition, London, 2013,
no.99.

展覽著錄：Roger Keverne Ltd.，《夏季展覽》，
倫敦，2013年，編號99

Vajraputra is one of the Eighteen Luohans,
symbolising the invincible power of compassion and
wisdom. According to literary sources, Vajraputra
instructed Ananda to harmonise the understanding
of the Dharma with the practice toward Arhatship.

Shangjun was the zi or style name of Zhou Bin, the
famous soapstone carver from Zhangzhou in Fujian
Province. For an essay about Zhou Bin, see G.Tsang
and H.Moss, Arts from the Scholar’s Studio, Hong
Kong, 1994, pp.84-85, no.43.

A similar soapstone figure by Zhou Bin is illustrated
in Zhongguo wenwu jinghua da quan: jin yin yu
shi juan, Hong Kong, 1994, no.242. See also a
soapstone figure signed Shangjun, in the Palace
Museum, Beijing, illustrated in 50 Selected Gems
of Cultural Relics: Newly Collected in the Palace
Museum in the Last Fifty Years, Beijing, 1999,
p.144, no.192; and a related soapstone figure,
illustrated by M.Eberle, Götter aus Stein: Die
Sammlung chinesischer Specksteinfiguren auf
Schloss Friedenstien Gotha, Gotha, 2015, no.38.

See a soapstone figure of a luohan attributed to
Zhou Bin, 17th/18th century, which was sold at
Sotheby’s New York, 23 September 2020, lot 673.

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