A PALE CELADON AND RUSSET JADE 'ASCETIC LUOHAN' BOULDER QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY

the substantial stone boldly worked in the form of a luohan, possibly Abheda, seated next to an incense burner issuing smoke within a rocky grotto and holding a sutra in his left hand, the figure depicted with an emaciated torso with his garment draping in folds above his feet, a gnarled tree rendered growing from the side with leafy branches extending onto the jagged reverse, the stone of a pale celadon colour skilfully worked and highlighted with russet skin, wood stand

Christie’s London, 6th June 1988, lot 24.

Jade as Sculpture, Minneapolis Museum of Art, Rare Art, Inc. New York and Indianapolis Museum of Art, 1975, no. 27.

The boulder is in overall good condition with just minute bruises and nicks to the fragile extremities. There are some light areas of pitting and natural flaws especially to the reverse of the boulder.
"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 jade boulder possibly depicts Abheda, the last of sixteen luohan, who are believed to be the first disciples of Gautama Buddha. Abheda is commonly depicted as an emaciated, bare-headed figure dressed in loose robes and holding a tablet or book in one hand. He is said to have read the whole canon of scriptures in the snap of the fingers, hence he is shown snapping his fingers. 

Two jade carvings of luohan in a grotto are illustrated in Jessica Rawson, Chinese Jade. From Neolithic to the Qing, London, 1995, pls 29.19, where the author notes that a large number of jade carvings of luohan in grottos were made in the 18th century. Rawson attributes this vogue to the propagation of woodblock prints in catalogues such as the Guyu tupu [Illustrated catalogue of ancient jade], or the highly prized rubbings of the sixteen luohan taken from carvings in the Shengyin Temple, Hangzhou, which were based on a set of paintings by Ding Guangpeng (1708-71), themselves originally based on paintings by Guan Xiu (852-913), see pp. 409-11.

Three boulder carvings of luohan in jagged rockwork were sold in our New York rooms, the first, from the Crystalite collection and in the Art Institute of Chicago, included in the exhibition Chinese Jade from Southern California Collections, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, 1976, cat. no. 33, was sold, 9th/10th October 1987, lot 206 and again at Christie's New York, 21st March 1993, lot 326, the second, 25th September 1986, lot 177, and the third, of slightly larger size, 19th/20th October 1988, lot 259; another was sold in these rooms, 2nd May 2005, lot 706; and a further example was sold in our London rooms, 12th November 1974, lot 34.