A rare chenxiangmu Guanyin 17th-18th century | 十七至十八世紀 沉香木雕觀音坐像

Acquired from a French private collection in the Rhône-Alpes region.

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得自法國羅納斯阿爾卑斯地區法國私人舊藏

Chenxiangmu is one of the most valued types of wood in China due to its aromatic and medicinal qualities. The properties of the wood have been discussed in several publications, including Robert Ellsworth in Chinese Furniture. Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch’ing Dynasties, New York, 1970, p. 46, who describes it as lignaloes, a succulent wood from a species sometimes considered a tree, sometimes a shrub; and Sheila Riddell in Dated Chinese Antiquities 600-1650, London, 1979, p. 228, who calls it gharu wood (aquilaria agallocha), a highly-esteemed type with the best quality sourced from Cambodia, according to Chau Ju-Kua, the renowned 12th century traveller. Furthermore, 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. 216, comment that chenxiangmu was frequently used for burning incense.

When carved, chenxiangmu is typically found in the form of libation cups modelled after rhinoceros horns prototypes, and more occasionally in object of larger size the like of ruyi, this due to the extreme scarcity and value of the material. Carved figures or subjects dated to the 17th century are extremely rare, let alone guanyin itself of which no other example appear to exist. A chenxiangmu figure of an ascetic dated to the 17th-18th century, from the collection of Robert H. Bluemenfield and originally acquired through Sydney L. Moss Ltd, London in 1989, sold with Christie's in New York, 22nd March 2012, lot 1299. See also a chenxiangmu 'phoenix & peonies' plaything also dated to the 17th-18th century, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 8th april 2013, lot 119, from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat collection.

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沉香木既是香料，亦具藥性，乃中國珍貴木材，文獻多有記載，參考安思遠，《Chinese Furniture. Hardwood Examples of the Ming and Early Ch’ing Dynasties》，紐約，1970年，頁46，作者描述沉香木為「lignaloes」，肉質樹木，所屬品質有時歸納為樹科，有時為灌木。Sheila Riddell著《 Dated Chinese Antiquities 600-1650》，倫敦，1979年，頁228稱之為「gharu wood」（拉丁學名aquilaria agallocha），上品來自現金柬埔寨，宋趙汝适著《諸蕃志》有述。此外，曾柱昭及 Hugh Moss，《文玩萃珍》，香港大學馮平山博物館，香港，1986年，頁216論述，沉香木常用於焚香，木雕則以犀角盃為主，因木材珍稀，尺寸較大者甚罕，偶爾可見如意作例。斷代十七世紀之雕像極為罕見，沉香木雕觀音像更甚，本作疑為孤品。Robert H. Bluemenfield曾收藏一件沉香木雕苦行僧作例，斷代十七至十八世紀，1989年售予倫敦Sydney L. Moss Ltd，後易手於紐約佳士得2012年3月22日，編號1299。另比一例，十七 / 十八世紀 沉香木雕「鳳凰牡丹」圖擺件，售於香港蘇富比水松石山房藏珍玩專場2013年4月8日，編號119。