Lot 74
East Asia, China, Qing Dynasty, ca. 19th century CE. A large "gongshi" also known as a scholar's rock or stone, this example is a naturally formed piece of gray limestone that stands upright on a wooden base with a naturally craggy and chiseled profile. This weathered and eroded form suggests that this rock was collected and displayed because of its striking appearance - naturally shaped by water to create the unique craigs and nearly perfect circular holes. The stone also makes a pleasant clinking sound like ceramic when tapped. The resonance and texture were also considered when selecting a gongshi. The stone is mounted on a low, dark cherry-colored wood base that is elegantly carved with swirling shapes. Size: 14" L x 6.5" W x 13" H (35.6 cm x 16.5 cm x 33 cm); 17.75" H (45.1 cm) on included custom stand.
Gongshi are part of the Chinese tradition of venerating beautiful stones which extends back to the Neolithic, when prized geological specimens were placed into tombs as offerings. In the Song Dynasty, Chinese writers composed essays and catalogues dedicated to rocks; artists began to paint them in elegant compositions that celebrated their natural qualities as evocative of larger forms in the landscape like prominent mountains or mythological creatures like dragons. A Chinese scholar would have displayed this example in his studio so that he and other members of the literati could contemplate its contours.
Provenance: private Rochester, Michigan, USA collection
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#182004
- Condition: Stone has natural niches and surface pitting and wear from erosion. Abrasions and stable fissures to the wood base , and the scalloped lip that hugs the stone has 2 areas of repair with adhesive.
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