A FINELY CARVED BAMBOO BRUSHPOT SIGNED SANSONG, 17TH – 18TH CENTURY

of cylindrical form, raised on three feet, the exterior deftly carved in various levels of relief, depicting a seated scholar supporting an umbrella on a sampan boat steered by a boatman behind, journeying across a flowing river framed by craggy rockwork with occasional leafy shrubs and overhanging gnarled pine billowing in the wind, inscribed on the rock face with a cyclical date of wuchen year (in accordance with 1688 or 1748) and signed Sansong

Collection of Chu Deyi (1871-1942), a renowned scholar in bronze and seal scripts in the Republican period, c. 1931 (box inscription).
Collection of T.Y. Chao (1912-1999), and thence by descent in the family.

The brushpot is in good condition with some expected minute nicks to the edges. There are several age cracks as consistent with age, the longest measuring approx. 2.3 cm.
"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."

Expertly carved in high relief, the craftsman’s remarkable control of the blade is evident in the variety of textures he has successfully captured, such as the rocky mountains, flowing water and the soft features of the figure. The brushpot is inscribed with the mark of Zhu Zhizheng, also known as Sansong, the son of the celebrated carver Zhu Ying, and the best known of three generations of carvers. A native of Jiading and active during the first half of the 17th century, Zhu established a style of bamboo carving that was emulated throughout the late Ming and early Qing period. Known as the ‘reduced ground mass and sculpting method’, this style was particularly popular among bamboo carvers of the Shunzhi and Kangxi reign. 

Compare a brushpot carved in high relief with a similar scene, from the collection of Dr Ip Yee, illustrated in Ip Yee and Laurence C.S. Tam, Chinese Bamboo Carving, vol. I, Hong Kong, 1978, pl. 73; another from the Simon Kwan collection, included in the exhibition Ming and Qing Bamboo, University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2000, cat. no. 31; another sold in these rooms, 25th May 1979, lot 874; a fourth sold in our New York rooms, 26th February 1982, lot 315; and a further example sold in our London rooms, 11th December 1990, lot 108. Compare also a brushpot made by Zhu Sansong, carved with the ‘Seven sages of the bamboo grove’, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Jiangxin yu xiangong Ming Qing diaoke zhan [Uncanny ingenuity and celestial feats. The carvings of Ming and Qing dynasties], Taipei, 2009, cat. no. 6.

The motif of an elderly scholar on a boating trip was popular among bamboo carvers of the Ming and Qing dynasties, as it alluded to the pastoral life away from officialdom that scholar officials longed for. Furthermore, depictions of rocky landscapes with scholars on a boat were suggestive of the famous work Ode to the Red Cliff composed by Su Shi (1037-1101), which was often depicted on objects for the scholar’s desk.