Carving: Mountain

9/29/2008: "A Chinese huanghuali carved mountain (boulder) with a scene depicting three seasons, as indicated by bamboo, prunus and millet, enhanced with two seated figures and a water fowl (duck) with fitted zitan stand, Qing Dynasty, 18th century, 7 1/4” high x 5” wide. It is unusual to find fitted zitan stands with boulder carvings. In Chinese fine and decorative art, as well as legend, mountains are regarded with great appreciation and are thought of as being sacred. Mountains are considered one of the Twelve Ornaments and were used on the upper portions of Chinese robes." - Bernie McManus, Appraiser, Woodbury House, Connecticut, 9/05/2008

Comparables: Christie’s, NYC, September 20, 2002, sale 1113, lot #147; A Finely Carved Bamboo Mountain, 17th/18th century, Finely and deeply carved and undercut around the sides in high relief with numerous scenes of immortals, scholars, and attendants at various pursuits amidst pavilions and trees in the Kunlun mountains, the legendary realm of Xiwangmu, the Royal Lady of the West, shown seated on her flying crane above figures gathered on a terrace at the top of the mountain, one scene depicting a female immortal seated astride a qilin ready to ascend a path at the bottom on one side, while scholars examine a scroll farther up the path and figures paddle a log boat below the path, another vignette showing a woman in a palanquin accompanied by attendants and a man on horseback, while in another figures approach the gate of a walled compound that encloses a pavilion and further scholars set below a tiered pagoda, carved with a two-character maker’s seal mark, Wen Fu 11 in. (27.9 cm.) high. Christie’s, Hong Kong, November 28, 2006, sale 2325, lot #1648; A CARVED BOXWOOD MINIATURE MOUNTAIN BOULDER QING DYNASTY, LATE 19th CENTURY, of irregular form, finely rendered in high relief and openwork to depict a mountain boulder with complex winding mountain paths leading to dwellings, variously detailed with scholars and their attendants in different pursuits including playing a game of chess, residing in a pavilion, walking and enjoying the view, 2 1/2 in. (8.8 cm.) high, wood stand.