Page 83 - Christie's Dec 2, 2015 Scholars Rocks, Hong Kong

Qilian rocks come from the mountain of the same name in Gansu 展覽
province. The rocks are particularly appreciated for their distinctive 亨利．摩爾基金會，《Objects of Contemplation: Natural sculptures from
texture, most notably the concentric wrinkles which resemble the Qing dynasty》，里茲，2009年12月12日–2010年3月7日
enlargements of fingerprints, and the integrally nodules that imbue
the surface with a beaded texture. The current rock is particularly well 祁連石源自地跨青海、甘肅的祁連山，以表面奇特、帶輪圈狀紋理見稱，有如手
worked to evoke the imagery of a miniature landscape encompassing 指模印一般，充滿雅趣。本擺件嶙峋峻峭，層次豐富，令瞻賞者猶如置身林澗溪
meandering streams and rocky valleys, which befits the functionality of 谷中，此亦正是古人尚石，藉以從中悟出天地造化之用心。
the scholar’s rock as a microcosm of the universe through which scholars
could meditate within the confines of the studio. 兩宋文人崇尚色黑的靈璧石及英石，迄明代此兩石供應逐漸乾竭，文人開始發
掘其他產地的供石，並包容更多不同色澤的石頭，祁連石是以成為備受喜愛的
The expansion of the canon of scholar’s rock to include Qilian stones 文人供石之一。
took place around the Ming dynasty when the supply of Lingbi and
Ying stones became largely exhausted, encouraging scholars to explore
other types of stones for appreciation. It occurred in conjunction with a
shift of taste when the preference for stone colours broadened from the
previously subdued palette of black, grey and white to more colourful
shades such as russet-brown, gold and turquoise.

Compare to a smaller Qilian scholar’s rock resembling an arched bridge
from the Master of Water, Pine and Stone Retreat Collection, sold at
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 April 2014, lot 3636.

(Two views 兩面) 81
CHINESE SCHOLAR’S ROCKS FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION