Qing Dynasty Natural Horizontal Circular Hollow Taihu Scholar’s Display Stone

拍品描述

Dimensions: Overall Height 55cm (21.65in), Maximum Horizontal Width 74cm (29.13in), Qing DynastyCondition & Provenance: Category: Chinese Scholar’s Rocks & Miscellaneous Art, primary trading markets New York and Vancouver. This stone was once part of the private collection of Arthur Wells, a distinguished Oriental art collector based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He acquired this specimen at Christie’s New York classical literati viewing rock auction in 2018. The stone was shaped solely by natural lake erosion with no man-made carving, drilled holes or glued restorations. Fine thin lines across the surface are natural weathering textures formed over millions of years, with no cracks, chips or missing sections. The entire rock is wrapped in thick bronze-brown antique patina, with dense natural mineral veins weaving across undulating organic textures and a silky smooth tactile finish, zero artificial staining or polishing. A massive penetrating hollow ring runs through the center of the stone, paired with scattered natural cavities of varying sizes, all untouched original natural formations. It comes with a large custom carved mahogany multi-sided tall stand, decorated with full rounded scroll cloud relief carvings and an openwork multi-column frame structure. The hardwood base is solid with no splits or insect damage, finished with rich antique wood patina that harmonizes perfectly with the stone’s tone. Complete supporting documents are provided: original Christie’s New York auction catalog, official authentication certificate from the North American Oriental Viewing Stone Association, and full US art import filing paperwork.Description: This monumental horizontal Taihu stone from the Qing Dynasty is a premium hall display specimen, quarried from Taihu Lake in southern China and naturally sculpted by millions of years of lake water erosion, a classic form of traditional Chinese literati viewing stone. The stone stretches wide horizontally with a grand, embracing silhouette, two mountain-like stone masses connecting on both sides and framing a giant penetrating hollow ring in the center. The contrast between solid stone and empty void creates an ethereal, boundless spatial aesthetic with unobstructed sight running straight through the rock. The stone’s contours flow gently with staggered peak protrusions; sharp upright stone spires rise at the top, while natural perforations of all sizes scatter across the whole form. Large open cavities deliver transparency, and small hidden hollows add layered depth, fully meeting the four core aesthetic standards for Chinese viewing stones: slender silhouette, abundant perforations, layered recesses and wrinkled natural texture. Centuries of accumulated glossy antique patina coats the entire rock in a warm bronze-brown hue, crisscrossed by natural mineral veins and organic weathered folds with no modern artificial aging or modification; every texture mark comes from pure natural geological weathering. A custom large mahogany multi-sided tall wooden stand supports the stone, hand-carved with scrolling cloud relief matching the rock’s organic shape, and the open multi-column hollow frame creates a light, elegant display structure that holds the stone firmly and proportionally. Surviving complete matching stone-and-stand sets from the Qing era are extremely rare on the international antique market. Horizontal circular hollow Taihu stones are far less common than vertical peak viewing stones. Its wide embracing silhouette evokes the imagery of mountain caves and hidden landscapes, embodying the ancient literati philosophy of harmony between humanity and nature. It delivers outstanding decorative value for large interior spaces as well as academic research significance for classical Chinese stone appreciation culture. This specimen is highly sought-after by American and Canadian collectors specializing in Chinese literati antiques, ranking as a museum-quality intact natural Taihu viewing stone dating to the Qing Dynasty.

图片