A CARVED WHITE BISCUIT PORCELAIN BRUSHPOT ATTRIBUTED TO CHEN GUOZHI, SEAL MARK AND PERIOD OF DAOGUANG |

of cylindrical form, the exterior masterfully carved in varying levels of relief with a sage and his attendant standing beside three recumbent goats set within a mountainous landscape strewn with pine and wutong trees issuing from jagged rockwork, pagoda and pavilions, the reverse carved in relief with an inscription reading Shi zai zhongxia xie yu Changjiang Zhushan ke ci shu wei Chi shi cheng yang tu ('Written in mid-Summer while being a guest at Changjiang Zhushan [Jingdezhen], inscribed for the painting titled Turning the Stones into Goats by Shouting'), the recessed base inscribed in relief with a six-character seal mark

Collection of Sydney Moss.
S. Marchant & Son, London, 1960.
Bonhams London, 10th July 2006, lot 186.
Water, Pine and Stone Retreat Collection.
Sotheby's Hong Kong, 4th April 2012, lot 189.

Imperial Chinese Porcelain, Ceramics and Works of Art, Marchant, London, 2013, cat. no. 45.

The brushpot is in good overall condition with minor firing imperfections. There are expected minor losses to the fragile extremities, including an approx. 0.5 cm section to a branch at the rockwork (around 10 o'clock of the mark), and small areas of retouching including one measuring approx. 1 cm to the rim and tiny edges of fragile leaves/flowers.
"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 painting Chi shi cheng yang tu takes inspiration from the Daoist story included in Ge Hong's (284-363) Shenxian zhuan [Biography of Immortals] of the Jin dynasty (265-420).  The phrase chi shi cheng yang (turning the stones into goats by shouting) came to be used as an idiom for describing miraculous happenings.