Ming-Qing Taihu Scholar’s Viewing Stone with Circular Hollow Cave

拍品描述

Dimensions: Overall Height 77cm (30.31in), Maximum Width 41cm (16.14in), Ming and Qing DynastyCondition & Provenance: Category: Chinese Scholar’s Rocks & Miscellaneous Art, primary trading market New York. This viewing stone originates from the private collection of Hugh Bennett, a veteran Oriental art collector based in Miami, Florida, USA. He acquired this stone from Christie’s New York classical scholar’s rock single-lot auction back in 2019. The natural stone is entirely intact with no breaks, glued restorations or artificially drilled holes. A giant natural central hollow ring penetrates the whole form, surrounded by scattered smaller natural perforations all over the surface, fully meeting the four classic Chinese stone appreciation standards: slender, perforated, layered, wrinkled. The stone surface carries thick, aged natural patina with deep earthy brown tones, natural mineral veins spread across the rock, and rich layered weathered textures. Only faint natural wear exists on the outer edges, no chips or missing stone sections. It comes with an original vintage carved dalbergia wood stand decorated with round bead relief carvings and three stable outward-curving feet, no cracks or repairs on the wooden base. Full archive documents are included: original Christie’s New York auction catalog, official authentication certificate from the International Scholar’s Rock Association, and complete US art import filing paperwork.Description: This monumental natural Taihu stone vertical peak from the Ming-Qing dynasties is a premium hall display scholar’s rock, formed naturally after millions of years of lake water erosion in the Taihu Lake region of southern China. Its unique circular hollow cave silhouette delivers an ethereal, grand artistic vibe, representing the core elegant furnishing object for ancient Chinese literati studies and main halls. The stone rises tall and slender with a vertical upright posture, dominated by a huge full-moon shaped hollow ring running through the center, allowing unobstructed sight through the rock to create a balanced contrast between solid stone and empty space. Multiple smaller natural perforations scatter across the upper and lower sections, varying in depth and size to deliver outstanding transparency, perfectly embodying the four ancient aesthetic rules for Chinese viewing stones: thin form, full perforation, layered recesses, and wrinkled texture. The entire rock is wrapped in thick, glossy antique patina with rich dark brown coloration. The surface is covered in natural weathered folds and mineral vein streaks, with undulating organic textures and a smooth, mellow tactile finish. There is zero artificial grinding, staining or modern aging treatment; every texture mark comes from centuries of natural water and wind erosion. A custom carved vintage dalbergia hardwood stand supports the stone at the base, adorned with continuous round bead relief carvings and three outward flared feet that hold the stone firmly and harmoniously. The wood stand’s antique patina matches the stone’s natural color tone perfectly, forming a complete, unified antique display set. Circular ring cave Taihu stones are extremely rare within antique scholar’s rock collections. Most surviving Taihu peaks are simple vertical monoliths, while specimens with a full penetrating central ring cave are hard to source. The full moon hollow shape carries profound literati philosophy of harmony between human and nature, symbolizing open-mindedness and spiritual clarity. It holds immense decorative value for interior display as well as academic research significance for traditional Chinese stone appreciation culture. This specimen is highly sought after by American and Canadian collectors specializing in Chinese classical literati antiques, ranking as a museum-grade hall-sized Taihu viewing rock from the Ming-Qing period.

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