AN EXTRAORDINARY AND VERY RARE BAMBOO SEAL QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

superbly carved from a large bamboo rhizome, leaving the slender roots naturally and freely intertwining with each other, the seal face boldly carved with the characters Da yuan ming jing yin kong kuang in archaic script, finely and neatly incised in lishu to one side with the horizontal inscription Yuzhi, Da yuan ming jing yin kong kuang, the reverse covered by a label inscribed "A l'usage de l'Empereur, C'est un miroir grand, rond, clair gravé dans l'immensité des airs....7 octobre 1860, trouvé au palais d'été (Yuen min Yuan), l'expedition de Chine.", the bamboo of a rich golden-brown tone

Removed from the Yuanmingyuan, Beijing, 7th October 1860, and brought to France. 

The seal is in very good condition overall, apart from minor expected wear, concentrated to the edges of the seal face.
"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."

The present seal is carved with the six-characters:
Da yuan ming jing yin kong kuang.
which can be translated as:
The Reflective Power of the great, round and bright mirror reaches far.

The side of the seal is inscribed with the nine characters:
Yuzhi. Da yuan ming jing yin kong kuang.
which can be translated as:
Made by Imperial Command. The Reflective Power of the great, round, bright mirror reaches far.

The label which is written in French can be translated as: "For the use of the Emperor, the reflective power of the great, round, bright mirror reaches far...7th October, 1860, found at the Summer Palace (Yuen min Yuan), China Expedition."

This seal was made to record the Qianlong emperor's appreciation of the Yuanmingyuan (Garden of Absolute Clarity), the Old Summer Palace in the suburbs of Beijing with its magnificent and far reaching views. The Yuanmingyuan was designed as a microcosm of the Chinese empire and the universe. It placed the emperor in the centre and surrounded him by special scenic spots copied from around the country and beyond its borders as far as Europe. Lakes, forests, hills and fountains were made with pavilions and palaces built and strategically placed to create the best views. Qianlong observed his gardens and fountains from particular vantage points and spent many hours strolling and relaxing in this ideal setting.

The present seal was carved to record and commemorate the 29th scene of the Yuanmingyuan, Fanghu shengjing ('The Superb Scenery of the Fanghu').  This scene is one of the "Forty views of the Yuanmingyuan", completed in 1744 and comprising forty album leaves painted on silk.  Each view is accompanied by an imperial inscription composed and written by Qianlong, in which he expresses his thoughts and appreciation of the scene.  The 29th scene, according to Daoist legend, represents one of the dwelling places of the immortals.  The last three characters of the present seal, 'yin kong kuang', in fact, come from the names of the three main features and buildings of this scene - Santang 'yin' yue ('The Three Lakes Reflecting the Moon'), Tian yu 'kong' ming ('The Universe of Luminescence'), and Qing 'kuang' lou ('The Mansion of Comforting Purity').  This scene is one of the most spectacular views of the Yuanmingyuan.  Qianlong was clearly inspired by this magnificent scene, and recorded his appreciation and devotion to it on this present seal.    

The Qianlong emperor often expressed his thoughts and fondness for places in his poems which were then inscribed on seals.  The present seal belongs to the category of imperial seals known as the xianwen yin.  The xianwen yin were seals of which the text had a direct relationship with the painting or scene represented - in name, building or literary attribute.  The present seal is such an example, as it describes and complements the essence of the 29th scene of the Yuanmingyuan.    

Imperial seals made of bamboo are extremely rare and no other related example can be found in museums and private collections. The carver has utilized the many intertwining roots to create a most naturalistic design that is in harmony with where the seal was housed. This type of design is reminiscent of the 'bamboo' columns found on duan inkstones that utilize the 'golden eyes' in the stone as the 'golden heart' of each bamboo column. For examples of duan inkstones with the 'bamboo' columns see two included in The National Palace Museum's Ancient Inkstones Illustrated in the Imperial Catalogue, Taipei, 1998, pls. 40 and 52.