18TH CENTURY

Details

A WHITE JADE 'DOUBLE-GOURD' SEAL
18TH CENTURY
The seal of double-gourd form is surmounted by a clambering chilong carved in high relief with its head turned backwards over the shoulder, and the underside is carved in seal script with the characters Yangxing Zhai ('Studio of the Cultivation of Nature'). The greenish-white stone has some natural striations.
2 in. (5 cm.) long, box

Provenance

Wu Maoding (1850-1928) Collection, and thence by descent within the family.

Lot Essay

The Studio of the Cultivation of Nature is a secluded retreat within the imperial gardens in the northwest section of the Forbidden City. The studio and surrounding gardens are designed with an artificial hill and elaborate rockery to evoke the feeling of being in a remote landscape and thereby cultivate a sense of peace. The last Qing emperor, Pu Yi, was instructed by his British tutor Reginald Johnston in this studio.

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