A BAIFURONG SOAPSTONE FIGURE OF XIAOSHI LUOHAN WITH A BUDDHIST LION, EARLY QING DYNASTY

Expert’s note
: The present lot depicts Vijraputra, one of the eighteen Luohan, who is also known as the ‘laughing lion luohan’ (Chinese: xiaoshi luohan) and is always accompanied by a Buddhist lion.

China, 17th-18th century. Finely carved as a reclining Luohan, leaning on a Buddhist lion while holding a small jar in his right and a flywhisk in his left. Dressed in loose robes open at the chest, the garment falling in folds over the bent knees and arms. His garments are embellished with floral sprays and geometrical designs at the hem painted in green, violet, red and blue. The round face has full lips forming a subtle smile framed by a stippled beard, flanked by long pendulous lobes suspending earrings.
The opaque stone
is of a creamy white tone suffused with pale gray, amber, and russet inclusions.



Provenance:
From a French private collection.

Condition:
Very good condition with expected old wear, some light surface scratches to the base, minor nicks, and small amounts of the pigment have worn away. The stone with natural inclusions and fissures, some of which may have developed into hairline cracks.

Weight: 350.7 g
Dimensions: Height 8.5 cm


The eighteen Luohan
(arhats) are the original followers of Buddha, who were commanded to await the coming of the future Buddha, Maitreya. Believed by some to have attained enlightenment, they are also regarded as being freed from the cycle of reincarnation and act as guardians over those who have not.


Literature comparison:


Compare a related soapstone figure of a luohan, 10.8 cm high, dated to the 17th century, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 2013.167. Compare the related soapstone figure of a luohan seated beside a similarly carved lion in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Zhongguo meishu quanji, diaosu bian - 6 - Yuan Ming Qing diaosu, Beijing, 1988, pp. 145, pl. 157. Compare a related soapstone figure of luohan with a mythical beast, dated to the 17th century, illustrated by Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss, Arts from the Scholar's Studio, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1986, pp. 161, cat. no. 135.


Auction result comparison:


Type: Related
Auction: Bonhams San Francisco, 20 June 2014, lot 6578
Price: USD 6,875 or approx.
EUR 8,100
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A carved soapstone figure of a luohan, 17th/18th century
Expert remark: Compare the related pose, facial expression, pigments, and decoration of the robe. Note the size (9 cm).


Auction result comparison:


Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s London, 7 November 2012, lot 282
Estimate: GBP 6,000 or approx.
EUR 7,900
converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A carved soapstone figure of a luohan, 17th/18th century
Expert remark: Compare the related pose, facial expression, pigments, decoration of the robe, and size (9.2 cm).





清初白芙蓉石笑獅羅漢


中國，十七至十八世紀。戲獅羅漢擺件選用芙蓉石雕刻而成，整體色帶微黃，質地堅實，採用立體圓雕的手法雕刻。羅漢坐於地上，靠著獅子，右手托小缽靠著右膝，左腿微曲，左手執拂塵；雙眼微閉，面帶微笑，兩側長長的耳垂戴著耳環。袈裟紋理清晰，花卉紋。小獅子回首望著羅漢，顯得活潑可愛。不透明的石料呈乳白色調，淺灰色、琥珀色和黃褐色內沁。



來源：
法國私人收藏。

品相：
狀況極好，有磨損，底座有一些輕微的劃痕、刻痕、少量顏料磨損，石料有天然內沁和紋理，其中一些可能發展成裂紋。

重量：350.7 克
尺寸：高 8.5 釐米


十八羅漢
是釋迦牟尼的得道弟子，奉命迎接未來佛彌勒的降臨，已經擺脫了輪迴，並幫助那些沒有開悟的人。


文獻比較：

比較一件相近的十七世紀清早期壽山石雕捧桃羅漢，高10.8 釐米，收藏於大都會藝術博物館，館藏編號2013.167。比較相近的羅漢皂石，收藏於北京故宮博物院，見《中國美術全集‧雕塑編‧6‧元明清雕塑》，北京，1988年，頁145，圖157。比較一件相近十七世紀皂石雕羅漢神獸，見Gerard Tsang and Hugh Moss，《Arts from the Scholar's Studio》，馮平山博物館，香港大學，1986年，頁161，圖錄編號135。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：舊金山邦瀚斯，2014年6月20日，lot 6578
價格：USD 6,875（相當於今日
EUR 8,100
）
描述：十七至十八世紀皂石雕羅漢像
專家評論：比較相近的姿勢、面部表情、顏料和長袍裝飾。請注意尺寸 (9 釐米)。


拍賣結果比較：

形制：相近
拍賣：倫敦蘇富比，2012年11月7日，lot 282
估價：GBP 6,000（相當於今日
EUR 7,900
）
描述：十七/十八世紀加彩壽山石「搖鈴羅漢」
專家評論：比較相近的姿勢、面部表情、顏料和長袍裝飾，以及尺寸 (9.2 釐米)。