THREE WELL-CARVED SOAPSTONE FIGURES OF LUOHAN

Details

THREE WELL-CARVED SOAPSTONE FIGURES OF LUOHAN
17TH/18TH CENTURY

Each finely carved from creamy buff stone shown seated on a foliate-incised mat placed atop a pierced rockwork base, wearing loose robes with incised foliate borders falling in graceful folds around their bodies, one holding a ruyi scepter, the other two with hands positioned to hold now missing attributes, each head and face individualized and each with finely stippled, black-stained hair, traces of gilding, some losses and restoration
5¼ and 5in. (13 and 12.7cm.) high (3)

Lot Essay

Compare the soapstone figure of a luohan seated on a similar base and of similar size included in the exhibition, Chinese Decorative Arts, Bluett & Sons, Ltd., London, 1974, Catalogue, no. 129. Compare, also, a larger figure included in the exhibition, Chinese Jades from Distant Centuries, S. Bernstein & Co., San Francisco, 1992, Catalogue, no. 13