Page 157 - Bonham's Asian Art London November 12, 2015

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A SMALL SOAPSTONE FIGURE OF GUANYIN 169
Wang Xuanzi mark, 17th century
Seated in royal ease, the Goddess of Mercy carved
with downcast eyes below the cape and attired
in a long flowing robe, detailed with intricate folds
bordered by floral hems draping to her feet, her
right hand raised and placed on rockwork holding
a spray, incised with three-character mark reading
‘Wang Xuanzi’ to the reverse. 8cm (3 1/8in) high

£8,000 - 12,000
HK$94,000 - 140,000
CNY77,000 - 120,000

十七世紀 觀世音菩薩坐像
「汪玄子」刻款

The exceptional craftsmanship demonstrated in the
gnarled wood supporting the figure, and graceful
expression, can be compared to carving by master
carvers such as Zixiu, who similarly to Wang Xuanzi,
also is not mentioned in literary sources; for an
example by Zixiu, see G.Tsang and H.Moss, Arts
from the Scholar’s Studio, Hong Kong, 1986, p.161,
fig.135, and one sold in our Hong Kong rooms on
25 May 2011, lot 205. G.Tsang and H.Moss, ibid,
p.160, note with regard to Zixiu: “Possibly Zixiu
is an art name for one of several carvers who are
recorded in literature but whose signatures do not
seem to appear on works of art. It is also possible
that Zixiu did not also carve seal texts and therefore
did not attract the attention of the literati to the same
extent as Zhou and Yang”. The same indeed apply
to Wang Xuanzhi, who similarly to Zixiu and other
soapstone carvers such as Li Jiu, are known to have
been recorded in literature.

169
A DUAN STONE ‘IMMORTAL ISLAND’ TABLE
SCREEN
19th century
The rectangular screen, mounted in a wood frame
reticulated with archaistic scrolls, carved in relief with
an immortal island, depicting tiled pavilions, fenced
courtyards, rocky outcrops and mountain peaks
dramatically emerging from a ground of foaming
waves, all below two flying cranes hovering amidst
scrolling clouds, wood stand.
The screen 56.8cm (22 3/8in) high x
48.3cm (19 in) wide (2).

£5,000 - 8,000
HK$59,000 - 94,000
CNY48,000 - 77,000

十九世紀 木嵌端石蓬萊仙山圖桌屏

Provenance: a Scottish private collection

來源： 蘇格蘭私人收藏，後由家族繼承

Compare a related ‘immortal island’ table screen
in the Vicoria & Albert museum, London, collection
no.1071-1852, dated to circa 1850 with a similar
scene most probably depicting the mythical island
of Penglai, which is said to be located at the
eastern fringes of the ocean and home to the Eight
Immortals.

FINE CHINESE ART | 155