Page 105 - Sothebys Speelman Gems of Chinese Art

This outstanding brush washer is of unparalleled Carnelian agate was among the semi-precious
quality, ranking alongside the finest quality stones prized by the Qing Court and was utilised
examples from the Imperial collection preserved for the production of playthings, snuff bottles
in Beijing or Taipei. The quality of the raw and other small intricately carved scholar’s
material itself is of brilliant colour, which has objects such as the present washer. Further
been skilfully manipulated to depict the superbly carnelian agate examples of objects for the
carved undulating design. The original green- scholar’s table include a brushrest, from the Qing
stained ivory stand, selected as a detail for the Court collection and still in Beijing, published
cover of this catalogue, is itself a superlative work in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the
of art, where the natural organic grain of the ivory Palace Museum. Small Refined Articles of the
has been so masterfully utilised to match the Study, Shanghai, 2009, p. 122, pl. 91; a vase
undulating stems of the brush washer. Skilfully in the form of a trunk, in the Palace Museum,
carved to depict a lotus pod, it epitomises the Beijing, included in Zhongguo yuqi quanji
plethora of novel designs carved from a variety [Complete Collection of Chinese Jades], vol.
of precious materials that were favoured by the 6, Shijiazhuang, 1993, pl. 142; and a number of
Qianlong Emperor. A distinctive requirement pieces from the Heber R. Bishop collection, now
of hardstone carving is the ability of the artist in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,
to integrate its variegated colours, which are such as a small vase and a water pot, accession
almost always irregular. A master craftsman nos 02.18.868 and 02.18.875 respectively.
relied on his exceptional artistic sensibility and Carnelian-agate carvings of this exceptional
intimate knowledge of the material to visualise quality were created to furnish the halls of the
the completed product in an unworked stone. He Imperial Palaces. Several examples housed
also needed to be flexible in modifying his initial in the Empress Eugénie Chinese Museum at
design upon encountering variations of colours Fontainebleau are illustrated in Le Musée chinois
and opacities in the course of his work, turning a de l’impératrice Eugénie, Paris, 1994, pp. 24-25.
potential flaw into a desirable highlight.

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