A LARGE GREY 'YING' ROCK MING – QING DYNASTY

the crooked body wrought out to stand vertically on a tapering point, the dark grey limestone pitted with an asperous surface, wood stand

The rock is in good condition overall with minor areas where the fragile edges are more brittle, possibly from bruising.
"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."

The extraordinary size and presence of this exceptional 'ying' rock is exceptional. 'Ying' rocks such as the current example were already highly treasured by the Ming dynasty, when the scholar Wen Zhenheng (1585-1645) wrote; 'Lingbi stones are the best; Yingde stones are next best. These two types of stones are very expensive, and it is quite difficult to buy them. Large stones are especially difficult to obtain. Those over a few feet tall are rare indeed'.

'Ying' rocks were appreciated for their special aesthetic and spiritual qualities through poetry and essays written in the Tang Dynasty. By the Song Dynasty, rocks were depicted in monumental landscape paintings offering a microcosm of the universe.  Paintings of rocks such as the current example illustrate the intimate relationship between paintings and three-dimensional scuptures. Ten Views of a Fantastic Rock, by Wu Bin (act. 1583-1626) with calligraphy by Mi Wanzhong (1570 - after 1628), sold in our New York rooms, 6th December 1989, lot 39, shows a single scholar's rocks depicted from all angles with inscriptions discussing the measurements and appearance of the rock. For other 'ying' rocks of comparable quality sold at auction, see two Ming to Qing dynasty 'ying' rocks, the first from the Jiansongge collection, the second from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat collection, sold in these rooms, 11th April 2008, lot 2723 and 8th April 2010, lot 1702 respectively; and a Qing dynasty 'ying' rock from the Richard Rosenblum collection, sold in these rooms, 7th April 2014, lot 3666.