A CARVED TIANHUANG SEAL WITH MYTHICAL BEASTS, ATTRIBUTED TO YANG YUXUAN QING DYNASTY, 17TH CENTURY

of oval cross-section, the top well carved in high-relief with two confronting mythical beasts, one a chilong, the other a phoenix with the body of a chilong, encircling the edge of the top with their heads turned to face each other, all amidst scrolling ruyi-form clouds, the stone of golden caramel tone with characteristic veining, the seal face left uncarved

Sydney L. Moss Ltd., London, April 1982.

Arts from the Scholar's Studio, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, 1986, cat. no. 163.

The overall condition is very good with only a minute 1 mm nick to the edge of the seal face. The actual colour is even deeper and more saturated than in the catalogue illustration. The actual size of the seal is about 65% smaller than the catalogue illustration.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Attributed to the famous artist Yang Yuxuan, the present tianhuang seal is especially fine for the richness and translucency of the material and the skilled and naturalistic carving of the creature. The treatment of the beast with its subtle but well defined muscles and strong, curvaceous body testifies to the consummate skill of Yang, also known by the names Yang Ji, Xuan and Yu Rei. A native of Zhangpu, Fujian province, Yang worked as a stone carver in the provincial capital of Fuzhou. He was one of the most influential tianhuang carvers of the late Ming and early Qing periods, with a wide range in his repertoire that included carvings of seals, figures, birds, animals and beasts. His carvings were often as intricate and elaborate as the present example. See a tianhuang figure of a recumbent ram, in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Classicism in Continuum, Hong Kong, 2006, p. 92, fig. 1, together with a carving of a lion sold in these rooms, 7^th October 2006, lot 916.

Tianhuang, which has warm yellow tones, is a rare type of soapstone which can vary in colouration. Traditionally tianhuang has been considered the most valuable. The present seal is made of a particularly valued kind of tianhuang stone called dongshi (frozen stone) because of the pale markings visible at the surface that resemble markings found on ice. Apart from being graded by its colour, tianhuang was also priced according to its weight rather than its size, making it one of the most expensive materials to carve.