A MASSIVE IMPERIAL CARVED WOODEN MOUNTAIN QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD

the hollowed sculpture made of four different sections of wood, masterfully carved and polished in the round as a mountainous landscape, with a variety of trees issuing from cragged rockworks, pavilion and figures, one side with two sages crossing a bridge in front of a high waterfall cascading to form a torrent beneath, followed by another sage and an attendant on the side, all walking towards a pavilion on top of the cliff, built on a rocky promontory, the sloping roof sheltering three scholars seated around a table playing weiqi, as another attendant looks after a boiling kettle, the reverse with two attendants carrying a wrapped qin toward a fenced terrace, with a sage playing a qin in front of another scholar and an attendant, all below tall gnarled pine trees growing next to a further waterfall issuing from the cragged cave on the side flowing to a rushing stream near the base, the hardwood densely patinated to a warm dark-chocolate brown colour

The boulder is overall in good condition with a few occasional chips to the carving, including part of the rail of the bridge and some leaves. A few openwork tree trunks seems to have sections replaced while some others are restuck. There are some typical age cracks to the carving, some filled in or stabilised including one of approx. 17 cm along the top which has been filled. There is another vertical age crack running from the top to the bamboo grove. The boulder has an attractive patina, especailly near the top from handling.
"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 wood mountain is impressive for its magnificent size and exceptionally fine carving. It is rare to find mountains carved in wood although a smaller example, carved in red sandalwood with a scene related to the folk story of the eight celestial beings crossing the sea is illustrated in The Palace Museum Collection of Elite Carvings, Beijing, 2004, pl. 86. This mountain is exquisitely finished and is one of the finest and largest examples recorded in this medium.

The modesty of the material had its own appeal, a result of the Daoist trend for naturalism as well as the deeply ingrained Confucian sense for the unostentatious. However, the workmanship is far from being modest, it is that of the most skilled carver working for the Qing court. The finely layered work is representative of early Qing period imperial carving and relates closely to workmanship generally associated with jade, bamboo, ivory and rhinoceros horn. Furthermore, the detailed treatment of the figures, trees and the strength of the rockwork relate closely to the school of Gu Jue, the renowned Kangxi period carver. Gu, a native of Jiading, Jiangsu province, was known to spend over one or two years carving a single piece. He was famous for his style which was fine and detailed, often showing facial expressions or even the textile patterns on clothing. He was compared to the poets of the Qi and Liang Kingdoms who could convey the glamour and enchantment in their works. See a boxwood scroll weight carved with a landscape scene depicting scholars and their attendants engaged in various leisurely activities, signed Zong Yu, the alias of Gu Jue, offered in these rooms, 9th October 2007, lot 1622; and a buffalo horn brushpot attributed to Gu, deeply fashioned with a mountainous scene with a boy on a buffalo walking along the path towards a bridge over a stream through dense trees, from the collection of Dr. Ip Yee, sold in these rooms, 27th May 1980, lot 883, and again, 19th November 1984, lot 88.