A TIANHUANG 'MYTHICAL BEAST' SEAL QING DYNASTY, 19TH CENTURY

of rectangular section forming a pedestal for a carved recumbent tiger, its head resting on its forepaws below delicately rendered furled ears, its taut body curled up on its haunches with prominently pronounced muscles, its bifurcated tail picked out with finely incised striations, the seal face carved in seal script with four characters reading guai an tu shu 
('Guai An's calligraphy and books'), the stone of rich amber-honey colour lightening to a translucent white skilfully utilised to portray the tiger

Exquisitely carved from a translucent stone, the sensitively rendered muscles and fur together with the incorporation of the natural inclusions and attractive varying hues of the stone into the design reveal the proficiency of the carver, who has created a powerful miniature sculpture in this seal.

A rectangular soapstone seal modelled as a recumbent tiger was included in the exhibition The Art of Chinese Seals Throughout the Ages, Art Gallery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2000, cat. no 482; and another was sold in these rooms, 9th October 2007, lot 1512. The meticulous and dynamic modelling of the creature is also comparable to a rectangular seal carved with lions, sold in these rooms, 9th October 2007, lot 1513.