Page 44 - SOtheby's Hong Kong Hawthorne Collection Scholar's Art May 2018

This exquisite box belongs to a small group of inlaid containers lot 351, and 8th October 2010, lot 2192, from the Water, Pine
typically produced in precious zitan wood. The exceptional and Stone Retreat Collection. Zhou Zhu’s work is discussed by
workmanship displayed here, especially in the quality of Chi Jo-Hsin, ‘Chou Chu and the Craftsmanship of Chou Chih
the beautiful inlay, suggests that it is by the hand of the works’, Proceedings of the International Colloquium on Chinese
Ming master carver Zhou Zhu, recorded in the writings of Art History, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1991, p. 657; in
the Ming and Qing literati as having worked in Yangzhou in National Palace Museum Monthly of Chinese Art, Taipei, 1993,
Jiangsu province during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor. He p. 110; and by Craig Clunas in O.C.S. Exhibition of Chinese
was famous for his perfection of the technique of inlaying Ivories, Birtish Museum, London, 1984, pp. 127-128.
a wide variety of precious stones and other materials onto
The subject matter depicted on the present box is that of an
wood and lacquer. What distinguishes Zhou’s works from
elegant gathering known as yaji in Chinese, where a group of
others is his use of a much broader range of material and
scholars and like-minded literati gather to enjoy music, discuss
the complexity of the inlay itself. On the present box, and on
literature and talk about antiquity. A larger box depicting a
others attributed to him, are kaleidoscopic range of materials
related but more complex scene, the sides embellished with
including soapstone, malachite and horn. His inlay technique
rich blossoming branches, was sold twice in these rooms,
is extremely multifaceted, as he deployed inlay upon inlay, not
16th/17th November 1988, lot 256, and again, 4th April 2012,
just setting different material next to each other but creating
lot 179, from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat Collection.
a three-dimensional effect. He also used precious metals such
Compare also an inlaid box and cover, sold in these rooms,
as gold and silver, often creating stunning multi-layer works of
2nd June 2016, lot 88, also from the Water, Pine and Stone
art. Later versions, even very fine and complex works from the
Retreat collection.
height of the Qing dynasty, rarely employed such a wide range
of complex inlay techniques. The most comprehensive group of related inlaid-boxes, from
the Qing court collection and still in Beijing, is illustrated in
While Zhou’s birth date is unknown, the Jiajing period
The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum.
attribution to his work is confirmed by an inlaid box that bears
Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, Hong
an inscription of a date corresponding to 1537 inscribed in
Kong, 2002, pls 219-48. A box decorated with a hunting scene,
red lacquer on the base, richly embellished with a scene from
most probably the work of Zhou, is published in The Palace
a Mongolian hunt, sold twice in these rooms, 17th May 1898,
Museum Collection of Elite Carving, Beijing, 2004, pl. 100.

42 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比