Master of the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat (B. 1943) 2012

ink on cloud-dragon and xuan paper, with four seals of the artist: Shuisongshi shanfang (‘The Water, Pine and Stone Retreat’), Renmomo momoren (‘Man grinds the ink; ink grinds the man’), Yangshi xianren (‘An idler who cherishes stones’), and The Sage in the Lotus (pictorial seal), mounted as hanging scroll

The overall condition is extremely good.
"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."

INSCRIPTION:

The Cascade Master was fond of seeking the source and having found, long ago, before I met him, the Source of all things, the Dao, the Cloud of Unknowing, that potent nothingness beyond all description, he was equally intrigued by sources in the mundane world.  He would travel for days in the mountains, searching for mountain streams to trace back to their springs.  When doing so, he took with him ‘Cave-born Torrent,’ one of his seven vine-staves.  It was younger than his other vine-staves, nor was it as darkly patinated, but was nonetheless powerful with one extraordinary quality: it could go directly to the source of any flow of water.  There was no need for the Cascade Master to follow the winding and often vertiginous fall of the mountain brook, his staff would unerringly bring him to the source by the most direct route that was passable to man.  His favourite source, he once told me, was a cave.  Only rarely did a river spring from a cave source, but when it did there was that extra magic of the other-worldly realm of the cave, sometimes awaiting with treasures within – one of his finest strange stones was discovered in this manner.  This very staff had been found on one of his earlier, less efficient searches when he ended up finding the source burbling out of a cave high above the tree-line.  Once he got it home and began to work on it, he realized that its head resembled the very cave which had taken him to it, with the brook emerging from it.

Cave-Born Torrent

became its name.  It was a friendly staff, gregarious even, amenable to any knowing hand, and I too often went in search of springs with it held firmly in my hand.  We established a firm bond of mutual understanding so it is easy to paint even all these centuries later without any effort at recalling my visual memories of it.  They are still all ready in my heart.  Inscribed by the Master of the Water Pine and Stone Retreat, looking back fondly, at the Terrace of the Garden at the Edge of the Universe spring of 2012.