Page 218 - Important Chinese Art Hong Kong Sotheby's April 2017

3647

PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN 明十五世紀末 象牙雕道教人物立像

A SUPERBLY CARVED LARGE IVORY DAOIST 來源：
FIGURE 歐洲收藏
MING DYNASTY, LATE 15TH CENTURY Spink & Son Ltd，倫敦，1953年10月31日

skilfully carved as an official standing on an octagonal pedestal
base resting on ruyi scroll feet, decpited with his hands clasped
together before his chest and holding a ceremonial baton (hu),
his face naturalistically rendered with downcast eyes and a
solemn expression, wearing a ritual headdress meticulously
detailed with floral and ruyi designs, dressed in loose
ceremonial robes with a tasselled endless knot tied around his
collar, his robes similarly depicted with elaborate embroidery
terminating with a tasselled hem, the patinated ivory of a
variegated creamy-brown colour
29 cm, 11⅜ in.

PROVENANCE

A European collection.
Spink and Son Ltd, London, 31st October 1953.

◉ HK$ 800,000-1,200,000
US$ 104,000-155,000

This fine ivory carving of an official is notable for the decorated textile panel on his robe and hat create an effective
naturalistic depiction of the figure, which is devoid of the contrast with the drapery and suggests it was created to be
heavy stylisation that characterised later Ming carvings. With viewed from all angles. Furthermore, by leaving his robes
his strongly defined brows, nose and lips, the face appears undecorated, except for the edging along the neck and sleeves,
individual to the official, which is accentuated by his full the focus is drawn to his face.
rounded shoulders that appear to hunch slightly when viewed
from the side. While the exact identity remains a matter of During the Yuan dynasty, ivory was often used in palace
speculation, the tall hat and tablet he holds suggests that it decoration, thus leaving little for other private use outside the
may be intended as a Daoist figure. While gilt-bronze Daoist court. Lack of materials led to the decline of the art until the
figures are known from the Ming dynasty, ivory examples are Ming dynasty, thus the few that were produced were of the
extremely rare. highest quality. Only a small number of early Chinese ivory
figures is known, including three figures of Buddha sold at
The linearity of this carving suggests woodblock prints Christie’s New York, 28th/29th October 1977, lot 130; and
provided the source for the style of depiction. Deprived of the a standing figure sold in our London rooms, 8th November
technique of washes in the early Ming period, woodblock prints 1994, lot 362. All four figures appear to be later copies of Song
made maximum use of the clean lines accented with small originals, possibly from the late Song or Yuan periods. See also
areas of detailed designs. The level of intricate decoration a large figure of Buddha, attributed to the late Yuan to Ming
on the back, from the neatly combed hair to the ornately- dynasty, sold at Christie’s New York, 19th March 2009, lot 601.

216 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比