Page 215 - Chiense works of art sothebys march 14 2017 nyc

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A CARVED BAMBOO-ROOT FIGURE Related bamboo carvings of Dongfang Shuo smaller gure published in Ip Yee and Laurence
OF DONG FANGSHUO include two sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, the C.S. Tam, Chinese Bamboo Carving, Hong Kong,
EARLY QING DYNASTY 1978, vol. I, pl. 123. See a further related carving
rst, from the collection of Mr and Mrs Gerard but attributed to the late Ming dynasty, also from
masterfully worked as the immortal sitting on Hawthorne, 3rd December 2008, lot 2324, and the collection of Mr and Mrs Gerard Hawthorne,
a pierced rocky outcrop with the right hand the other 1st April 1992, lot 934; a slightly smaller sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 3rd December
grasping a gnarled leafy branch bearing two example in the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai, 2008, lot 2320.
peaches, and the left hand resting on one knee, included in the Museum’s exhibition Literati
the well-de ned face with a wide smile and a Spirit. Art of Chinese Bamboo Carving, Shanghai, $ 40,000-60,000
long beard, wearing a long loose robe falling into 2012, cat. no. 51, together with another smaller
voluminous folds, tied at the waist with a double- example signed Cai Shimin, pl. 59; two sold in our Peter Moores 1932 2016 396
gourd at the back, wood stand (2) Hong Kong rooms, one from the Water Pine and 2011 11 9
Height 8½ in., 21.5 cm Stone Retreat Collection, 4th April 2012, lot 127,
and the other from the collection of Robert H.
PROVENANCE Blumen eld, 7th April 2015, lot 3025; and a much

Collection of Sir Peter Moores (1932-2016).
Sotheby’s London, 9th November 2011, lot 396.

This charming bamboo gure depicts Dongfang
Shuo, the Han dynasty scholar o cial and court
jester to Emperor Wu. Also known as Manqian,
Dongfang Shuo is a historical gure from Yanci,
Pingyuan, Shandong province, who became
legendary for stealing peaches from Xiwangmu’s
(Queen Mother of the West) garden, thereby
giving himself the power of becoming immortal.

IMPORTANT CHINESE ART 213