A SUPERB AND EXTREMELY RARE INLAID ZITAN ‘SCHOLARS EXAMINING A HANDSCROLL’ BOX AND COVER ATTRIBUTED TO ZHOU ZHU, MING DYNASTY, JIAJING PERIOD

exquisitely inlaid with mother-of-pearl, malachite, soapstone, stained horn and various hardstones, the cover depicting three scholars seated around a low table examining a handscroll underneath an overhanging pine tree, looked on by an attendant while another attendant brews tea on a stove set nearby, the sides decorated with blossoming prunus branches, fitted with original internal tray

The box and cover is in good condition, and the inlays are especially well preserved. There are minor losses, notably the leaves of the branch on one side of the box. There is some consolidation to age cracks at the corners. Other general surface wear and 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."

This exquisite box belongs to a small group of inlaid containers typically produced in precious zitan wood. The exceptional workmanship displayed here, especially in the quality of the beautiful inlay, suggests that it is by the hand of the Ming master carver Zhou Zhu, recorded in the writings of the Ming and Qing literati as having worked in Yangzhou in Jiangsu province during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor. He was famous for his perfection of the technique of inlaying a wide variety of precious stones and other materials onto wood and lacquer. What distinguishes Zhou's works from others is his use of a much broader range of material and the complexity of the inlay itself. On the present box, and on others attributed to him, are kaleidoscopic range of materials including soapstone, malachite and horn. His inlay technique is extremely multifaceted, as he deployed inlay upon inlay, not just setting different material next to each other but creating a three-dimensional effect. He also used precious metals such as gold and silver, often creating stunning multi-layer works of art. Later versions, even very fine and complex works from the height of the Qing dynasty, rarely employed such a wide range of complex inlay techniques.

While Zhou's birth date is unknown, the Jiajing period attribution to his work is confirmed by an inlaid box that bears an inscription of a date corresponding to 1537 inscribed in red lacquer on the base, richly embellished with a scene from a Mongolian hunt, sold twice in these rooms, 17th May 1988, lot 351, and 8th October 2010, lot 2192, from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat Collection. Zhou Zhu's work is discussed by Chi Jo-Hsin, 'Chou Chu and the Craftsmanship of Chou Chih works', Proceedings of the International Colloquium on Chinese Art History, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1991, p. 657; in National Palace Museum Monthly of Chinese Art, Taipei, 1993, p. 110; and by Craig Clunas in O.C.S. Exhibition of Chinese Ivories, Birtish Museum, London, 1984, pp. 127-128.

The subject matter depicted on the present box is that of an elegant gathering known as yaji in Chinese, where a group of scholars and like-minded literati gather to enjoy music, discuss literature and talk about antiquity. A larger box depicting a related but more complex scene, the sides embellished with rich blossoming branches, was sold twice in these rooms, 16th/17th November 1988, lot 256, and again, 4th April 2012, lot 179, from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat Collection. Compare also an inlaid box and cover, sold in these rooms, 2nd June 2016, lot 88, also from the Water, Pine and Stone Retreat collection.

The most comprehensive group of related inlaid-boxes, can be found from the Qing court collection and still in Beijing, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, Hong Kong, 2002, pls 219-48. A box decorated with a hunting scene, most probably the work of Zhou, is published in The Palace Museum Collection of Elite Carving, Beijing, 2004, pl. 100.