Page 286 - 2018 Hong Kong Important Chieese Art

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A RARE EMBELLISHED SOAPSTONE FIGURE The precise style of carving and naturalism of expression
OF A LUOHAN strongly points to the current figure being the work of the 17th
ATTRIBUTED TO ZIXIU, LATE MING century carver Zixiu. Little is known about him other than what
can be divulged from the small number of extant signed works.
DYNASTY
For a detailed discussion of the possible dating of Zixiu’s works
skilfully carved in the form of a luohan seated in rajalilasana on see Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss, Arts from the Scholar’s
a pierced rockwork base, portrayed clad in finely incised loose Studio, Hong Kong, 1986, pp. 160 and 162, where a luohan
garments embellished with pearls and turquoise glass beads, figure is illustrated, pl. 135, together with another figure, pl.
the figure portrayed with a meditative expression accentuated 136, both bearing the signature ‘Zixiu’.
with curly beard and flanked by a pair of pendulous earlobes,
Zixiu’s carving style is recognisable by the meticulous
further depicted with the left hand holding a ruyi sceptre and execution of the facial expressions of his sculptures, the
the right held in a fist resting atop the bent right knee, the
detailed carving of facial hair and the use of pearls and pale
figure rendered with a variegated grey stone, all set on a beige
turquoise glass beads for decoration. Another luohan by Zixiu
stone suffused with reddish inclusions and dark speckles
was sold in these rooms, 30th October 2000, lot 2209 and
8.4 cm, 3¼ in. again, 8th October 2010, lot 2209, from the Water, Pine and
Stone Retreat collection. For further examples of his work see
PROVENANCE
a seated figure of a luohan sold in our London rooms, 13th May
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 28th April 1992, lot 280.
2009, lot 9, together with a seated figure of Budai also bearing
Zixiu’s signature, lot 17.
HK$ 250,000-300,000
US$ 31,900-38,300
明末 傳子秀製壽山石雕嵌寶羅漢坐像
來源：
香港蘇富比1992年4月28日，編號280

284 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比