Chinese Zitan Brushpot with Goddess of the Luo Inscription

A rare Chinese inscribed burl zitan brushpot or scroll pot,…
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A rare Chinese inscribed burl zitan brushpot or scroll pot, Republic period (1912-1949), of gently flaring cylindrical form, carved from a solid piece of burl zitan, with incised decoration to one side of the goddess of the Luo walking on foamy waves, holding a feather in one hand, with robes billowing in the wind, and to the other side with a lengthy intaglio-carved inscription in regular script after Jin Dynasty calligrapher Wang Xianzhi. Four character seal mark to the base reading 'Curio of the Fang Studio'. Old collection label affixed to the interior base, 18 cm high, 18.25 cm diameter. Provenance: Commissioned by Cheung Yin/Cheung Yick Tung (dates unknown), Hong Kong, collection of Wong Tse Ching (1886-1962), given by Wong Tse Ching to Law Ming Shek in 1937, collection of Law Ming Shek (1899-1940), and thence by descent, Law Ming Shek (1899-1940) was a wealthy Hong Kong and Canton entrepreneur and merchant, and an avid collector of Chinese books and antique curios, including scholar Art, seals, ink stones, porcelain, and works of calligraphy and painting. His impressive collection registers reveal that he associated and exchanged collectables with such renowned Canton connoisseurs as 'Wong Tse Ching' (a.k.a Wong Siew Chan/Wong Siew chin) (1886-1962) and Luo Yuanjue (1891-1965). The scroll pot offered herein is one of numerous gifts the former bestowed on him. Much of Wong Tse Ching's outstanding collection was later donated, in 1956 and 1999 respectively, to the Guangzhou Municipal, culture bureau and the Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Other Notes: the inscription is a lyrical depiction from 223 or 224A.D. Titled 'Goddess of the Luo', carved after a very famous calligraphic model by Jin Dynasty calligrapher Wang Xianzhi, the seal on the base was the collector's studio seal mark of Cheung Yin. The original seal was carved by the renowned Cantonese deaf-mute carver Yu Chung Ka.

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  • Incised - A record of a name, date or inscription, or a decoration scratched into a surface, usually of a glass or ceramic item with a blunt instrument to make a coarse indentation. Compare with engraving where the surface is cut with a sharp instrument such as a metal needle or rotating tool to achieve a fine indentation.
  • Zitan Wood - Zitan is the most expensive, and since ancient times, has been considered the most precious of woods.

    Zitan wood is the hardest and heaviest of all hardwoods. It is purplish-black to black in colour, and with a grain so dense it is virtually invisible.

    Zitan can usually only be obtained in quite narrow strips and so it is rare to find large pieces of furniture made from this wood. True Chinese rosewood is a variety of zitan and is very rare.
  • Republic Period - The Chinese Republic period, also known as the Republic of China period, lasted from 1912 to 1949. It began with the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty in 1911 and the establishment of the Republic of China under Sun Yat-sen. During this period, the country underwent significant political, social, and economic changes, including the adoption of a new constitution, the expansion of civil liberties, and the modernization of the economy. However, the Republic of China period was also marked by political instability, with numerous warlords and factions vying for power and influence, and the country was eventually engulfed in a civil war between the Nationalists and the Communists. The Republic of China period came to an end in 1949, when the Communists emerged victorious and established the People's Republic of China, while the Nationalists retreated to Taiwan where they established a separate government.
  • Ming Dynasty - The Ming Dynasty was a ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644. It succeeded the Yuan Dynasty and preceded the Qing Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty was established by Zhu Yuanzhang, a former Buddhist monk who became a rebel leader and eventually overthrew the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, China experienced a period of relative stability and prosperity. The government was centralized and bureaucratic, with the emperor at the top of the hierarchy. The Ming Dynasty is known for its cultural achievements, including the development of porcelain, the invention of movable type printing, and the construction of the Great Wall of China.

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