A FINELY CARVED 'SEVEN SAGES' BAMBOO BRUSHPOT

FINE BAMBOO AND SCHOLAR'S OBJECTS FROM THE DEXINSHUWU COLLECTION (Lots 1291-1333)

Details

A FINELY CARVED 'SEVEN SAGES' BAMBOO BRUSHPOT
QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY

Deeply carved around the cylindrical exterior with a scene of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove in various leisurely pursuits including playing musical instruments, in discussion, cooling by a stream, and taking shade under bamboo branches, attended by acolytes amidst ornamental rocks, bamboo, pine trees and beside a running brook, the mouth rim later inscribed lishu, clerical script, including the two-character name, Zi An (age cracks, some infilled)
6 1/8 in. (15.5 cm.) high

Lot Essay

Previously sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 28 October 1992, lot 233.

The later inscription incised on the mouth rim bears the sobriquet, Zi An, who can be identified as the carver, Yu Shijun (active 1875-1908). According to the script, Yu Shijun carved the calligraphy in collaboration with Zhao Zhixian, who is recorded as a well-known late Qing dynasty scholar (1781-1860).

The short poem may be translated as:
This well carved bamboo section,
crammed with brushes.
The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove,
are here with me in my study.

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