Page 63 - Bonhams May 2022 Arrow Vases

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A CARVED BAMBOO 'SEVEN SAGES OF
THE BAMBOO GROVE' INCENSE HOLDER
18th century
Of slender cylindrical form, meticulously carved
and pierced with a continuous scene depicting
the 'Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove' in a
winding landscape, one of them playing the qin
surrounded by scholars, facing another scholar
playing a pipa, two further scholars engaging in
distance with the group, the setting accentuated
with large looming boulders and jagged
rockwork surrounded by pine and wutong trees,
the bamboo with a smooth reddish-brown
patina, mounted with a removable base and
cap.
26.4cm (10 3/8in) overall high.

HKD100,000 - 150,000
US$13,000 - 19,000

十八世紀 竹雕鏤空「竹林七賢」香筒
Games for the Chinese literati, meant not
only engaging in a physical activity, but also
something immaterial, such as composing
poems, playing music etc, similar to what
the 'Seven Sages' in the Jin dynasty did in
their bamboo grove. The 'Seven Sages of the
Bamboo Grove' were a group of learned men
from the 3rd century (Eastern Jin dynasty).
During a time of political upheaval the group
distanced themselves from government service,
choosing instead to spend time engaged in
metaphysical discussions, poetry, and music,
always while inebriated. There were three
musicians in the group, the qin players Ji Kang
( 223-263), Ruan Ji (210-263) and Ruan's
nephew, Ruan Xian (who played ruan, a pipa-
like instrument). Ruan Ji was said to compose
qin pieces while Ji Kang was an accomplished
performer. Thus, it is easy to identify the figure
playing qin as Ji Kang, and the ruan player in
front of him as Ruan Xian.
This scene was widely depicted on various
works of art thereafter and was particularly
popular on bamboo carvings. Compare with a
closely related bamboo incense holder with the
similar scene, by Shi Tianzhang, in the Palace
Museum Collection, illustrated in Bamboo,
Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings. The
Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace
Museum, Hong Kong, 2002, pl.56.

此香筒截取竹材所製，構圖以魏晉時期竹林七賢
避世隱遁山林、酣暢行樂的文會活動為題，畫面
中一位賢士撫琴奏曲，對坐者彈奏琵琶，其他
賢士皆用心傾聽，凝思神往，或站或坐，各具姿
態。林中蒼松虯枝，岩壑奇姿，翠竹挺立。通
體運用深浮雕及鏤雕技法，運刀如筆，瀟灑自
如。皮殼呈棗紅色，澤光瑩潤，上下兩端鑲扣頂
蓋及底座。
竹林七賢為明清竹雕常見題材，然而人物裝束已
經時代化。七賢之中精通音律者有三人，即嵇
康、阮籍及阮咸。竹雕畫面，常作嵇康彈琴，而
有阮籍席地而坐對彈阮之例子並不多見。
參考北京故宮藏一件施天章作竹雕竹林七賢香
筒，見《故宮博物院藏文物珍品全集·竹木牙
雕》，香港，2002年，圖版56。
MORE THAN A GAME | 61