Page 172 - Sotheby's Speelman Collection Oct. 3, 2018

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A RARE AND EXCEPTIONAL 清十八世紀

BAMBOO VENEER ‘LOTUS’ 竹貼黃雕荷塘海棠式筆筒
BRUSHPOT

QING DYNASTY, 18TH
CENTURY

of quatrefoil section, each curved facet carved in shallow relief
with a shaped rectangular panel enclosing birds amidst a lotus
pond, the rippled waters interrupted by curved stippled stems
of broad leaves with furled edges, lotus flowers and pods, the
rim and foot encircled by bands of keyfret, the surface of the
bamboo veneer well patinated to a deep caramel tone
w. 18.5 cm, 7¼ in.
HK$ 800,000-1,000,000
US$ 102,000-128,000

Intricately rendered in the zhuhuang or bamboo veneer
technique and deftly decorated with idyllic scenes of nature
in shallow relief, the present brushpot is an exceptionally
fine object destined for the scholar’s desk created with
sophistication and utmost attention to detail.
The making of this brushpot involved the application of several
thin panels, taken from the inner wall of the bamboo stem,
over a wood core. These panels are then bound and held in
place by the thick everted mouth and foot. The smoothly
executed curving contours and proportionate symmetry of
the vessel’s quatrefoil shape demonstrate the deft finish of the
current brushpot.
Furthermore, meticulous attention has been paid to the
decoration on this piece, seen in the well-planned composition
of various panels depicting a lotus pond scene. The shallow-
relief decoration, though seemingly monotonous at first sight,
is cleverly incorporated with varying portrayals of water birds
amongst. The carver’s dexterity and mastermind are also
evidenced in the flowing lines and naturalistic rendering of
the broad veined leaves and blooming lotus flowers in various
orientations.
This brushpot bears testament to the mature development of
bamboo carving at the height of the Qing dynasty. Objects of
this type and executed to such sophistication are extremely
rare, see a dated example of double lozenge shape depicting
figural scenes from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms,
exhibited in Objects for the Scholar’s Desk, Maria Kiang
Chinese Art, Hong Kong, 2012, no. 7.

170 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比