A pair of soapstone 'mythical beast' seals, Qing dynasty, Kangxi period | 清康熙 壽山石麒麟鈕對章 印文：彈五弦之妙指、詠周孔之圖書

Christie's Hong Kong, 30th November 2016, lot 3352.

香港佳士得2016年11月30日，編號3352

The style of carving of the final and the inscription are similar to two imperial soapstone seals carved especially for the Kangxi Emperor to impress on his personal calligraphic works composed at the ‘Yuanjianzhai’, or the Studio of Profound Discernment. Compare the ‘Yuanjianzhai’ seal sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 6 April 2016, lot 3102, and the style of the carving of the inscription to the ‘Yuanjian huihao’ (Wielding the brush in the Studio of Profound Discernment) seal, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 29 May 2019, lot 3009.

此對章，一印朱文「彈五弦之妙指」，一印白文「詠周孔之圖書」，語出東漢張衡《歸田賦》。麒麟肌理刻畫精妙，形態豐盈，神采奕奕，栩栩如生，足見清初印石雕刻之技藝高超，工藝精湛。此對章印鈕及印文的雕刻風格皆與康熙壽山石「淵鑒齋」及「淵鑒揮毫」兩枚寶璽十分接近。「淵鑒齋」璽曾售於香港蘇富比2016年4月6日，編號3102。「淵鑒揮毫」璽見香港佳士得2019年5月29日，編號3009。