- 3201
A SUPERB AND EXCEPTIONAL IMPERIAL TIANHUANG 'CHILONG' SEAL AND A PAIR OF CALLIGRAPHIC HANGING SCROLLS QING DYNASTY, QIANLONG PERIOD |
Estimate
25,000,000 - 30,000,000 HKD
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Description
- seal h. 7 cm, 2 3/4 in.; 212 gr.each scroll 137.2 by 28 cm, 54 by 11 in.
the seal powerfully carved in high relief with a mother chilong playfully nipping at the haunches of her two wrestling cubs atop an oval seal, each horned mythical beast meticulously rendered with a finely incised mane above piercing eyes and a pronounced snout, the seal face carved with a three-character inscription reading de re xin ('Virtue renewed every day') framed by a pair of sinuous chilong, the lustrous stone of a rich caramel colour with grey inclusions skilfully utilised to portray the darker fur and mane of the mother chilong; each of the pair of imperial hanging scrolls with semi-cursive calligraphy in ink on gold-flecked silk, mounted on green diaper brocade, one impressed with the de ri xin seal, the other with two further Qianlong seals and a collector's seal
Provenance
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 26th October 2003, lot 28.
Condition
The seal is in good overall condition. There are expected minute bruises and nicks to the fragile edges and extremities, including the edges of the seal face and horn of the largest chilong.
"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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
De ri xin
Virtue Renewed Every Day
Guo FuxiangThis imperial jewel is carved from a tianhuang dong stone from Shoushan in Fujian province, and is carved in an ovoid form with three chilong. lts seal inscription is composed of the three-character phrase de ri xin ('Virtue renewed every day'). The phrase de ri xin is derived from Shangshu [The Book of History] where it is written: 'De ri xin, wan bang wei hai. Zhi zi man, jiu zhi nai li.' The meaning of this is that a gentleman should diligently build his moral character, and should daily progress and improve anew. The three characters carved on the Qianlong Emperor's seal thus sum up this phrase. What is even more meaningful is that the Qianlong Emperor used this three-character phrase as a name for one of his private studies. In fact, these words were personally inscribed onto a plaque and hung on the walls of the Jingshengzhai (Studio of Esteemed Excellence) within the Jianfugong (Palace of Established Happiness). But in 1923 (13th year of the Republic), when the Jianfugong was set aflame, the Jingshengzhai perished in the fires and the 'de ri xin' plaque along with it. Thus the fact that this treasure has survived through these perils is very remarkable.
According to the Shiqu baoji [The Precious Collection of the Stone Canal Pavilion], a written record of the paintings and calligraphies of the Qing court, the earliest record of this seal on a work of art dates back to the 8th year of the Qianlong reign (in accordance with 1743) thus dating the seal to before 1743 and within the early Qianlong period. This seal was often used together with the Qianlong Emperor's suo bao wei xian ('the only treasure is virtue') and Qianlong yubi ('Qianlong's imperial brush', fig. 1) seals and most often chopped on to his own imperial calligraphy and paintings and used as the leading seal (at the opening of colophons, fig. 2).
The stone from which this seal was carved has an excellent texture and its temperature and moisture are very agreeable. The colour of the body has a lustre and shine in its bright yellow, and the top section contains a chilong of a slight tinge of white, which is why we know that this stone is in fact cut from a precious Shoushan Mountain yin guo jin (literally 'gold wrapped in silver') tianhuang stone. This type of soapstone "is rarely seen and an outstanding type of tianhuang stone, which should be considered the most rare and precious of stones as it is the optimum combination of tianhuang and baitian stones," according to Ye Weifu, Zhongguo yin shi [Chinese stone seals]. Moreover, this seal is very large, and is amongst the largest tianhuang seals from the Qianlong period.
The three chilong that are carved atop this imperial seal seem to move naturally, the carved lines of their form are flowing and smooth. Their dense fur and manes flutter with ease without becoming disordered, and their bones and musculature are carved realistically and in great detail. The three animals turn around and playfully clamber to get close to one another, looking around, their faces display their enjoyment. All these characteristics are features associated with typical workmanship of Shoushan craftsmen during the Qianlong period.
Virtue Renewed Every Day
Guo FuxiangThis imperial jewel is carved from a tianhuang dong stone from Shoushan in Fujian province, and is carved in an ovoid form with three chilong. lts seal inscription is composed of the three-character phrase de ri xin ('Virtue renewed every day'). The phrase de ri xin is derived from Shangshu [The Book of History] where it is written: 'De ri xin, wan bang wei hai. Zhi zi man, jiu zhi nai li.' The meaning of this is that a gentleman should diligently build his moral character, and should daily progress and improve anew. The three characters carved on the Qianlong Emperor's seal thus sum up this phrase. What is even more meaningful is that the Qianlong Emperor used this three-character phrase as a name for one of his private studies. In fact, these words were personally inscribed onto a plaque and hung on the walls of the Jingshengzhai (Studio of Esteemed Excellence) within the Jianfugong (Palace of Established Happiness). But in 1923 (13th year of the Republic), when the Jianfugong was set aflame, the Jingshengzhai perished in the fires and the 'de ri xin' plaque along with it. Thus the fact that this treasure has survived through these perils is very remarkable.
According to the Shiqu baoji [The Precious Collection of the Stone Canal Pavilion], a written record of the paintings and calligraphies of the Qing court, the earliest record of this seal on a work of art dates back to the 8th year of the Qianlong reign (in accordance with 1743) thus dating the seal to before 1743 and within the early Qianlong period. This seal was often used together with the Qianlong Emperor's suo bao wei xian ('the only treasure is virtue') and Qianlong yubi ('Qianlong's imperial brush', fig. 1) seals and most often chopped on to his own imperial calligraphy and paintings and used as the leading seal (at the opening of colophons, fig. 2).
The stone from which this seal was carved has an excellent texture and its temperature and moisture are very agreeable. The colour of the body has a lustre and shine in its bright yellow, and the top section contains a chilong of a slight tinge of white, which is why we know that this stone is in fact cut from a precious Shoushan Mountain yin guo jin (literally 'gold wrapped in silver') tianhuang stone. This type of soapstone "is rarely seen and an outstanding type of tianhuang stone, which should be considered the most rare and precious of stones as it is the optimum combination of tianhuang and baitian stones," according to Ye Weifu, Zhongguo yin shi [Chinese stone seals]. Moreover, this seal is very large, and is amongst the largest tianhuang seals from the Qianlong period.
The three chilong that are carved atop this imperial seal seem to move naturally, the carved lines of their form are flowing and smooth. Their dense fur and manes flutter with ease without becoming disordered, and their bones and musculature are carved realistically and in great detail. The three animals turn around and playfully clamber to get close to one another, looking around, their faces display their enjoyment. All these characteristics are features associated with typical workmanship of Shoushan craftsmen during the Qianlong period.