† A GILT SOAPSTONE FIGURE OF VAJRAPUTRA, THE LAUGHING LION LUOHAN (XIAOSHI), BY ZHOU BIN, 17TH-18TH CENTURY

拍品描述

† A GILT SOAPSTONE FIGURE OF VAJRAPUTRA, THE LAUGHING LION LUOHAN (XIAOSHI), BY ZHOU BIN, 17TH-18TH CENTURY China. Finely carved seated in a relaxed pose with the right hand resting on the raised right knee, holding a small hoop in his left hand which is pulled by a young lion that nestles at his feet. He is dressed in loose robes neatly incised with a hatched pattern at the hems accentuated in gilt and fine scrollwork to the back. The face with a subtle smile framed by dimples below a calm gaze. The back of the robe with a gilt-incised two-character inscription. The opaque stone of a creamy beige color transitioning to amber yellow, with pale gray veins and cloudy white inclusions. The base of petaled form, carved from another soapstone of creamy white hue with vermillion-red patches and thin russet veins, and pierced around the sides to simulate rockwork, the underside neatly gilt-incised with the artist’s signature. (2) Inscriptions: To the back of the robe, ‘Shangjun’. To the base, signed ‘Gumin Zhou Bin fanggu’ (‘Antiquarian work by Zhou Bin of ancient Min [modern-day Fuzhou]’). Dimensions: Height 11.8 cm Zhou Bin, style name Shangjun, was one of the most celebrated and accomplished soapstone carvers of the seventeenth century. A native of Zhangzhou in Fujian province, the region famed for its Shoushan soapstone, he is thought to have studied under the renowned carver Yang Yuxuan. Although little is recorded of his life and his precise dates remain unknown, Zhou is generally believed to have been active during the Kangxi period. His figural carvings were admired for their strong sculptural quality, but he was particularly esteemed among contemporary scholar-officials for his soapstone seals. In carving landscapes, flowers, pines, and bamboo, he is said to have applied the painterly principle of xieyi (‘writing the idea’), seeking to capture the spirit of his subject rather than merely its outward appearance. His works remained highly prized throughout the Qing dynasty. Vajraputra is one of the eighteen luohans, representative of freedom from inhibition and playfulness. He is often portrayed with a Buddhist lion cub at the side. Vajraputra literally translates as 'man of cats'. Legend has it that Vajraputra was a lion hunter before converting to Buddhism. Upon attaining enlightenment, a lion cub approached him playfully, appeared to be showing gratitute for renouncing his sinful ways of killing lions. Vajraputra is therefore always depicted inseparable from the little lion cub. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 3 April 2012, lot 136 Price: HKD 3,020,000 or approx. EUR 470,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, manner of carving, Zhou Bin signature, and gilt highlights. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 17 March 2021, lot 264 Price: USD 126,000 or approx. EUR 136,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, manner of carving, and Shangjun signature. Note the related size (8.3 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 11 September 2019, lot 678 Price: USD 150,000 or approx. EUR 169,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, manner of carving, Zhou Bin signature, and size (11.1 cm). 13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer's premium - only for buyers within the EU.

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