清康熙 竹雕八仙過海圖筆筒

de forme ovale, le pourtour finement sculpté sur plusieurs niveaux d'une scène continue représentant les Huit Immortels traversant la mer sur une barque, chacun tenant ses attributs, leurs gestes et leur physionomie représentés, dans un paysage aux rochers escarpés peuplés de pins noueux et de ravins parmi lesquels évoluent deux cervidés, les flots déchainés écumants se brisant sur le radeau, la patine d'une belle couleur brune satinée, le col et le pied montés en huanghuali

The brushpot is of oval section, the foot mounted on a huanghuali base with a beaded rim, the rim with plain, slightly rounded huanghuali rim. The base is pierced with beaded base, and the mouth with a plain huanghuali rim. The huanghuali base with three small holes. There are scattered age cracks extending from the rim down into the sides and from the foot upwards into the body. There is very light wear to the surface. The bamboo with a rich dark patina.
"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 well-carved brushpot may be compared to works attributed to the famous bamboo carver Gu Jue, a native of Jiading in Jiangsu province, and one of the most celebrated carvers of the Kangxi period who was known for his finely detailed scenes of figures in landscapes, his technique often combining high-relief with shallow carving and precise details. Such was the fastidiousness of his discipline that he was known to take up to a year to complete one piece, demonstrating his acute observation and understanding of nature beyond woodblock prints and paintings from which many of the decorative motifs found on bamboo carvings often derived

This brushpot illustrates the Eight Daoist Immortals crossing the rough seas after attending the Peach Festival in the Western Paradise of the Queen Mother of the West. Combining their strengths, they were able to safely make it through the tempest, showing that obstacles can be overcome. 

Works signed by or attributed to Gu Jue are rare.  Compare an example from the Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection in the Seattle Art Museum, illustrated in Ip Yee and Laurence C. S. Tam, Chinese Bamboo Carving, Part I, Hong Kong, 1978, col. pl. 50. A smaller bamboo brushpot carved with a landscape and signed Gu Zhongyu, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, is published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carving, Hong Kong, 2002, pl. 39.