Page 184 - Bonhams Hong Kong The Skinner Moon Flasks

142
A BAMBOO ‘SAGE’ BRUSHPOT, BITONG
Mid Qing Dynasty
The cylindrical vessel skilfully carved around the
exterior with two seated sages in conversation,
the reverse incised with a kaishu poetic inscription
followed by a kaishu signature, the bamboo of a rich
reddish-brown tone, wood stand and box.
12.2cm (4 3/4in) high (3).

HK$300,000 - 400,000
US$39,000 - 51,000

清中期 竹雕留青雙聖先知筆筒

Provenance:
An important Asian private collection

來源：
重要亞洲私人收藏

The inscription reads as:

先天之先 xiantian zhi xian
造化萬千 zaohua wanqian
參透消息 cantou xiaoxi
益壽延年 yishou yannian
希黃刻 xihuang ke

‘before the beginning of life,
is the creation of ten thousand forms,
to decipher the hidden messages,
will grant blessings of longevity.
carved by Xihuang’

The present lot is associated with the liuqing carving
technique, a unique style of bamboo carving
whereby the skin is reserved in lower relief carving
highlighting varying degrees of shading. Zhang
Xihuang is considered to be one of the most skilled
bamboo artists, but only few works can be firmly
attributed to him. His renown led to subsequent
carvers imitating his style and for the use of
apocryphal signatures as in the present lot. Compare
a bamboo brushpot, early Qing dynasty, by Zhang
Xihuang, and two others, Qing dynasty, with mark of
Zhang Xihuang, in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated
in Literati Spirit: Art of Chinese Bamboo Carving,
Shanghai, 2012, pls.144, and 146-147. See also
two bamboo brushpots by Zhang Xihuang, in the
Freer Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., illustrated by
L.C.S.Tam, Chinese Bamboo Carving, vol.I, Hong
Kong, 1978, pp.86-87.

筆筒用一段竹節雕成，以留青技法雕兩聖人對坐，
一人倚身仰頭，另一人則雙手歇於葫蘆之上，旁邊
陰刻詩文「先天之先 ，造化萬千 ，參透消息，益
壽延年。希黃刻 。」留青技法，即借青筠去留多
寡來呈現表面深淺濃淡變化。此技法始于唐代，但
明代後期才運用成熟。留青技法清初以張希黃最為
稱絕，但傳世品中鮮有作品能夠確認為出自本人之
手，此時各地竹人均以留青工藝製作竹器，但未形
成專門流派。清中後期出現刻有寄託款的仿品，此
筆筒或為一例。其他帶有張希黃款的例子，見上海
博物館藏一件張希黃作留青山水樓台圖筆筒，以及
兩件帶張希黃款的筆筒，著錄於《竹鏤文心：竹刻
珍品特集》，上海，2012年，圖版144及146-147。
另見華盛頓弗瑞爾博物館藏兩件張希黃竹雕筆筒，
著錄於葉義、譚志成，《中國竹刻藝術》，卷一，
香港，1978年，頁86-87。

Inscription