A CARVED BAMBOO 'LIUQING' WRISTREST QING DYNASTY, SIGNED ZHANG XIHUANG

of cylindrical-segment form, the convex side carved in delicately in precise detail in liu qing technique with a reclusive scholar seated within a pavilion and looking out at the prunus blossoms borne on the gnarled branches of the overhanging trees outside the pavilion, the pavilion further framed by jagged rockwork and bamboo shoots, the upper right section of the wristrest carved in semi-cursive script with Su Shi's poem, Zai he Yang gong ji mei hua shi jue: zhi yi, followed by the characters Xihuang of Zhang Xihuang and a square seal mark reading xihuang, the surface with a lustrous patina, Japanese double wood box

Brian Harkins Oriental Art Ltd., London.

Good overall condition, with just minor surface wear and small chips to the upper reverse and lower reverse corners.
"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."

Finely executed in the liuqing technique, this outstanding wristrest signed Zhang Xihuang superbly demonstrates the liuqing technique, a method of carving that manipulates the contrasting colours of the smooth greenish bamboo skin and the darker fibrous inner layers. On this wristrest the outer skin of the bamboo branch has been reserved for the pavilion and landscape scene. The elegant contrast between light and dark tones is further enhanced through a dyeing process in which the green skin of the material turns into a golden light brown colour while the inner layer of the worked bamboo develops into a rich darker brown.

The serene scene decorating this wristrest illustrates a scholar sitting in a pavilion within a rocky landscape, with a poem by the celebrated scholar-official Su Shi (1032-1101) inscribed in the upper section. Extreme attention has been paid to rendering the scene, seen in the finely carved pointillist carving of the jagged rocks that complement the twisting form of the tree in the foreground. Furthermore, the carver's ability to successfully capture various textures is evidenced in the rocky foundation of the pavilion which contrasts with the thatched roof and soft rounded form of the figure, all against a perfectly finished plain ground.

For a closely related example in the Shanghai Museum, see Literati Spirit. Art of Chinese Bamboo Carving, Shanghai, 2001, cat. no. 143.

For examples sold at auction, see a wrist rest from the Norton collection, illustrating a river landscape, sold in our London rooms, 26th March 1963, lot 17, and again, 24th February 1970, lot 63. Compare also a brushpot signed Zhang Xihuang from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat collection, similarly composed as the current wrist rest, with a scholar depicted gazing out from a pavilion, sold in these rooms, 8th October 2010, lot 2184.