Michael Hughes
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PROPERTY OF AN ENGLISH LADY
Lot 31
A fine Mottled grey and white Jade Ruyi-form Brushwasher 17th Century
15 March 2021, 10:00 EDT
New YorkSold for US$7,012.50 inc. premium
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A fine Mottled grey and white Jade Ruyi-form Brushwasher
17th Century
The superbly-carved and reticulated vessel of lobed ruyi shape with outward-sloping sides, the rim surmounted by two sinuous chilong with bi-furcated tails which clamber in a coiled fashion toward each other on opposite sides of the rim and over-hanging the vessel interior, the shallow sides delicately carved with a pair of confronted bats and three large fleshy chrysanthemum-heads supported on gnarly leafy branches that extend around the sides and under the foot, the stone with attractive areas of black inclusions and mottling.
4 1/2in (11.8cm) across
The superbly-carved and reticulated vessel of lobed ruyi shape with outward-sloping sides, the rim surmounted by two sinuous chilong with bi-furcated tails which clamber in a coiled fashion toward each other on opposite sides of the rim and over-hanging the vessel interior, the shallow sides delicately carved with a pair of confronted bats and three large fleshy chrysanthemum-heads supported on gnarly leafy branches that extend around the sides and under the foot, the stone with attractive areas of black inclusions and mottling.
4 1/2in (11.8cm) across
Footnotes
十七世紀 灰白玉如意形水盂
This extraordinary brushwasher is superbly carved with meticulous attention to detail, not only of the visible areas as one would expect, but also to the extremely deeply cut and reticulated branches that support the vessel. This is a treasure for the hand as well as the scholar's table. The subject is rife with longevity symbols and blessings adding to its allure. The vessel itself forms a large ruyi-head, the fungus of longevity, and a pair of confronted bats to one side form the rebus, shaungfu, 'may you have double blessings'. The addition of the most glorious full chrysanthemum-heads below two coiling baby dragons, chilong, at the rim complete this picture. The chrysanthemum, the symbol of autumn, is another longevity symbol. During the Han dynasty people drank chrysanthemum wine on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month in order to prolong their lives, and even today its medicinal properties in tea is well-understood. See Terese Tse Bartholomew, Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art, The Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, 2006, p. 175, no. 7.11., where the author notes that the chrysanthemum is known as the 'hermit' among flowers and closely associated with the famous Eastern Jin poet and recluse Tao Yuanming (372-427), who wrote poetry in its honor. How perfect then as a subject on a calligrapher's brushwasher.
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