Qing Dynasty Bamboo‑Root Carved “Monkey Presents Longevity” Mother‑Baby Monkey Statue, Qing Dynasty

拍品描述

Measurements: Overall height 24cm (9.45 inches), maximum width 14cm (5.51 inches), 18‑19th century Qing bamboo carving scholar’s objectCondition & Provenance: Carved entirely from one solid bamboo‑root block. The main sculptural figure remains intact. Natural age‑related shrinkage cracks appear on the base, original to bamboo material, no later splicing or recarving. Thick, mature antique patina covers the whole piece with crisp carving details. An old collector’s mark survives on hollow base interior, no modern restoration or artificial staining. This ornament descended from an old Jiangnan scholar family collection, later handled by an Asian antique house in New York, and is now preserved within a private scholar‑artifacts collection in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. New York, Pennsylvania and Vancouver are key global market hubs for Chinese bamboo, wood, ivory and horn miscellaneous carvings.Description: This Qing‑period bamboo‑root carving of mother and baby monkey holding a peach is a fine traditional scholar‑table display piece, sculpted from a large natural bamboo root following its organic form. The mother monkey sits composedly with eyes gently closed in serene expression, one hand cradling a longevity peach while holding her infant monkey snuggled against her chest. The interaction between mother and baby is vivid and touching. Dense fine lines meticulously render fur texture across the entire body, executed with sharp, realistic carving technique showing every strand of hair with rich depth. The base retains the natural uneven contour of original bamboo‑root, solid and unadorned. In Chinese symbolic culture, monkey sounds identical to the character for noble rank “Hou”, while peach symbolizes longevity; mother‑baby monkey further carries the auspicious wish of “generations of noble rank”, a highly popular motif during Qing dynasty. The hollow interior at bottom bears an old collector’s notation, the whole surface has developed deep mellow patina accumulated over centuries. Large‑scale complete Qing bamboo‑root carvings are fairly uncommon. This substantial well‑modelled piece carries strong propitious meaning and demonstrates exceptional realist craftsmanship of Qing bamboo carvers, ranking as a museum‑quality treasure for scholar‑studio display.

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