A FINELY CARVED SMALL BAMBOO 'LIUQING' BRUSHPOT, SIGNED SHANG XUN 17TH/18TH CENTURY

the exterior delicately carved in precise detail in liu qing technique with a tranquil lakeside scene depicting a boy grooming his horse amid gentle rippling waves, with an old man looking on under a large gnarled pine tree, with the seal Shang Xun, the bamboo of a honey-brown tone

The piece is overall in very good condition, with some minor expected age cracks. It has been particularly well carved.
"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."

Shang Xun, renowned for his skills in the liu qing technique of carving, was a bamboo carver of the Jiaqing (1796-1820) and Daoguang (1821-1850) periods. The liu qing or 'positive relief' technique of carving was used as early as the Tang dynasty and examples can also be found from the 16th century, however it completely dissapeared until the mid and late Qing periods when it reemerged  and became popular again. It is a technique whereby the skin of the bamboo is retained to reveal a design.

As can be seen from the present brushpot, Shan Xun's carved pieces are exquisite. Simon Kwan in Ming and Qing Bamboo, Hong Kong, 2000, p. 83, notes that 'many of his brush pots are in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, but none are dated. Also worthy of study is a wrist-rest illustrating 'rafts for carrying deer' that has survived in the Fujiki collection in Japan. It is dated the second year of Jiaqing, dingsi, mid-summer, Shan Xun'.