AN EXCEPTIONAL AND SUPERBLY CARVED BAMBOO 'SEVEN SAGES OF THE BAMBOO GROVE' BRUSHPOT QING DYNASTY, EARLY 19TH CENTURY

of cylindrical section and slightly flaring near the base, all supported on three short feet, the exterior superbly carved in varying layers of relief with a continuous scene depicting the Seven Sages in the Bamboo Grove engaging in leisurely pursuits, including playing the qin, drinking wine and looking at a scroll, the verdant and rocky setting detailed with six further attendants preparing tea and carrying scrolls, the jagged rockwork inscribed and signed by Xianpan, the patina of a warm honey-brown colour

Gerard Hawthorn Ltd., London.

Oriental Works of Art, Gerard Hawthorn Ltd., London, 1999, cat. no. 85. 

good overall good condition with just minor surface wear and age cracks, one of which has been stabilised.
"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."

This brushpot is carved with the favoured Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove motif, a group of scholars of the Wei dynasty (220-265) who had renounced their official status and career in protest against corruption. They advocated freedom of individual beliefs which were inspired by Daoist philosophy. The seven sages, pictured gathered amidst a bamboo grove drinking, composing poetry and enjoying each other’s company, came to represent scholars disenchanted with official policies and are symbols of an incorruptible scholar. The popularity of the subject throughout Chinese history is reflected in its reproduction on a variety of media, such as porcelain, jade and paintings.

Related bamboo brushpots depicting this subject include one in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Masterpieces of Chinese Writing Materials in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1971, pl. 25; one included in the exhibition Chinese Bamboo Carving, Part I, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1978, pl. 70; another illustrated in Zhu mu ya jiao qi zhenshang [Appreciation of bamboo, wood, ivory and horn], Tainan, 1995, pl. 35; and a fourth example, from the Mary and George Bloch collection, included in the exhibition The Chinese Scholar’s Desk, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, 1979, cat. no. 11, and sold in these rooms, 23rd October 2005, lot 8.

A related brushpot bearing the same signature Xianpan, was sold in Christie's Hong Kong, 30th May 2012, lot 4291. No associated artist, however, appears to be recorded.