Page 172 - Bonhams Fine Chinese Art Nov 2013 Hong Kong

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A soapstone ‘chi dragon’ square seal
360 18th century
170 | Bonhams The seal carved surmounted with two chi dragons, one emerging from
dense clouds showing sharpened claws and muscular body, its head
framed by a pair of stern eyes and prominent single horn, the other
mythical beast with its head protruding from thick clouds, all within
finely carved wispy cloud scrolls all around, the square seal face incised
with a nine-character zhuanshu mark in equally divided columns.
9cm high.
HK$40,000 - 60,000
US$5,200 - 7,700

十八世紀 壽山石雕雲龍鈕印

印文：「桐城方觀承宜田之印」
360
A soapstone ‘Lu Shang’ carving
Qing dynasty
The great strategist seated by the river in relaxed posture with left leg
raised and right leg bent, his right hand holding a fishing rod whilst
leaning back on his woven basket of fish, his face with pronounced
hairy beard and hair neatly tied in a knop, the base carved with a kaishu
inscription.
9.1cm wide.
HK$10,000 - 20,000
US$1,300 - 2,600

清 壽山石雕盧商鈕印

Lu Shang, more widely known as Jiang Ziya, was a great military
strategist who helped King Wen and King Wu of Zhou overthrow the
Shang dynasty. He was offered the posthumous title of the Duke Tai of
Qi during the Spring and Autumn, and Warring States, period. Legend
states that whilst in exile, Lu went fishing in a tributary of the Wei River
using only a fishing rod and line without hooks, believing that the fish
would be caught of their own volition when the time was right. This
in turn reflects and summarises the military strategist’s ideology and
demonstrates his patience.