Page 359 - Chinese Works of Art Chritie's Mar. 22-23 2018

1012
A SHOUSHAN SOAPSTONE
FIGURE OF A LUOHAN
17TH-18TH CENTURY
The fgure is shown seated with one leg crossed in
front of the other, exposing one sandaled foot, and
with hands resting on a raised knee. He is dressed
in long, loose robes with fnely incised borders. His
face has a serene expression, and the details of his
eyes, moustache and beard are picked out in black.
The back is inscribed with two characters, Yu
Xuan. The stone is of pale beige tone with russet
inclusions.
3Ω in. (9 cm.) high
$10,000-15,000

The two characters, Yu Xuan, are the name
of the artist Yang Yuxuan or Yang Ji, a native
of Fujian province who was active during the
mid-17th century. One of the most sought-after,
revered carvers of his time, he is also credited (reverse)
with popularizing the trend of incorporating
natural irregularities in the stone into the
design. For a discussion of Yang and his work,
see the Oriental Ceramic Society of Hong
Kong exhibition, Arts from the Scholar’s Studio,
University of Hong Kong, 1986, no. 45. Although
no defnitive work by the artist is known, a
number of fne carvings are thought to be
attributed to Yang Yuxuan, who was revered for
exquisite carvings of fgures, birds and animals.
Compare a soapstone luohan bearing a two-
character Yuxuan mark, formerly in the Spencer
Churchill Collection, op. cit., 1986, no. 45; and
also a tianhuang fgure of a seated Buddha, sold
at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 28 April 1998, lot 899.
十七/十八世紀 壽山石雕羅漢坐像

(signature)

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