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Lot Essay
Yu Xuan is the mark for the carver, Yang Yuxuan, from Zhangpu in Fujian province, who was active during the mid-17th century.
The same mark can be seen on the back of a soapstone figure of a seated luohan illustrated in Between Heaven and Earth, Sydney L. Moss Ltd., London, 1988, no. 64, which is dated to the 17th century. The Yu Xuan mark is also inscribed on the back of a bai furong figure of a seated Guanyin, sold Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 29 October 2001, lot 692. The carving of this figure and the present Guanyin are very similar, especially the faces. Another soapstone figure of a seated luohan, inscribed Yu Xuan, is illustrated in the exhibition catalogue, Arts from the Scholar's Studio, Oriental Ceramic Society, Hong Kong, 1986, pp. 86-7, no. 45, where the authors provide a full discussion of Yu Xuan.
The same mark can be seen on the back of a soapstone figure of a seated luohan illustrated in Between Heaven and Earth, Sydney L. Moss Ltd., London, 1988, no. 64, which is dated to the 17th century. The Yu Xuan mark is also inscribed on the back of a bai furong figure of a seated Guanyin, sold Sotheby's, Hong Kong, 29 October 2001, lot 692. The carving of this figure and the present Guanyin are very similar, especially the faces. Another soapstone figure of a seated luohan, inscribed Yu Xuan, is illustrated in the exhibition catalogue, Arts from the Scholar's Studio, Oriental Ceramic Society, Hong Kong, 1986, pp. 86-7, no. 45, where the authors provide a full discussion of Yu Xuan.