A white jade figure of Wang Xizhi, Qing dynasty, 18th - 19th century | 清十八至十九世紀　白玉雕羲之愛鵝　《乾隆年製》款

Carved from soft, milky-white jade, this small sculpture was made to sit on a scholar’s desk, perhaps as a brush rest, paperweight, or a curio simply enjoyed as a studio treasure.

It portrays Wang Xizhi (303–361), the “Sage of Calligraphy” and one of China’s most revered writers of brush and ink. Stories tell of his love for geese and how he once copied a Daoist scripture in exchange for a flock of white geese, whose long, elegant necks he is said to have studied for inspiration in his calligraphy.

For its owner, this piece would have offered quiet pleasure: a gentle tribute to Wang Xizhi’s art and to the delight scholars took in finding inspiration and beauty in the natural world.

See also a similar piece from the Speelman Collection, offered in these rooms, 3rd April 2018, lot 3442.