A WOOD 'FOUR GENTLEMEN' DISPLAY STAND QING DYNASTY

constructed with square display surfaces on two levels, all resting on a support based on archaistic kui dragon motifs, the taller platform decorated below the apron with openwork carvings of bamboo, chrysanthemum, plum blossoms and orchids

Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss, Arts from the Scholar's Studio, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1986, cat. no. 248.

There is a small chip of approx. 2.5 cm to an orchid leaf which has been restuck. There are also occasional minor age cracks, some light scratches and typical nicks to the extremities, including one of approx. 0.8 cm to one foot. It is otherwise in overall good condition.
"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 charming stand is particularly attractive for its unusual shape and its combination of finely beaded stylised scrolls with openwork floral motifs. Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss, in the catalogue to the exhibition Arts from the Scholar’s Studio, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1986, p. 254, remark on the role of stands: "Works of art were not only considered individually, but in the broader context of life as a work of art. In the scholar’s studio, or elsewhere where he [the scholar] entertained himself and his friends, additional layers of meaning were added to individual works of art by their meaningful juxtaposition. Strangely shaped rocks, incense burners, root sculptures, jade carvings, and the like placed elegantly on suitable stands in just the right setting became, like all art, so much more than the simple sum of their parts".

Bamboo, chrysanthemum, plum blossoms and orchids represent the ‘Four Gentlemen’ (si junzi), symbolic of Confucian virtue. While the plum blossoms represent renewed vitality and innocence, the bamboo is associated with strength, and the chrysanthemum with pleasure and entertainment. The orchid, on the other hand, symbolises refinement.