A SOAPSTONE FIGURE OF A LUOHAN ATTRIBUTED TO ZHOU BIN, QING DYNASTY, 17TH CENTURY

finely carved as a luohan seated on a base with irregular and jagged edges, the figure rendered reclining on a gnarled and rocky outcrop on his right whilst holding a ruyi sceptre in his right hand with his left hand resting on his right knee, depicted dressed in loose robes with hems incised with Indian lotus blooms against a ground of formalised waves and embellished with tiny coral and pearl seeds, the serene and benign facial expression flanked by a pair of pendulous earlobes, the rocky base similarly picked out with lotus blooms and waves, the underside incised with di shiliu zunzhe zi lingzhi (‘The Sixteenth Luohan holding a lingzhi’), the stone of a milky-white colour with copper-red blushes

Sotheby's New York, 22nd September 2005, lot 60.
J.J. Lally & Co., New York, September 2005.

The figure is in overall good condition with just minor areas of infilling to the fragile extremities and typical surface scratches, especially under the base. Some of the tiny beads on the robes are possibly later replaced. The colour of the stone is more of an attractive milky-white than in the catalogue photo, where it has emerged too much of an orange-red tone.
"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 finely fashioned luohan carving is one of a set probably carved by one of the great carvers of the 17th century, Zhou Bin, zi, Shangjun, a native of Zhangzhou in Fujian province. Fang Zonggui in Shoushanshi zhi [Records of Shoushan Stone], Fuzhou, 1982, pp. 77-8, notes that Zhou’s works were always prized in artistic circles and that he used the Chinese painting concept of xieyi ('idea painting') in carving landscapes, flowers, pines, and bamboo.

Amongst his carvings are seals and a series of small figural sculptures of luohan, usually seated on elaborate cushions or rockwork bases, of which several have survived; for example see one included in the exhibition Arts from the Scholar’s Studio, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1986, cat. no. 44; a figure holding a lion cub and seated on a stepped platform incised with lotus sprays, sold in these rooms, 4th April 2012, lot 136; one in the National Museum of Chinese History, Beijing, published in Zhongguo wenwu jinghua daquan, Jin yin yu shi juan, Hong Kong, 1994, p. 83, pl. 242; and a fourth example included in the exhibition In Scholar's Taste, Sydney L. Moss Ltd., London, 1983, cat. no. 123.

Other carvings by Zhou include a luohan fashioned in stone, in the National Museum of History, Beijing, published in Zhongguo wenwu jinghua daquan: Jin yin yu shi juan [Complete series on the finest cultural relics of China: gold, silver, jade and stone volume], Hong Kong, 1994, p. 83, pl. 242; a tianhuang figure of Maitreya, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, published in Zhongguo meishu quanji [The complete collection of Chinese art], vol. 6, Beijing, 1988, pl. 158; and a baifurong figure of Maitreya, sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 25th May 2011, lot 208.