£10,000 - £20,000
AN EXCEPTIONAL CARVED LAPIS LAZULI BOULDER
QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)
青金石亭台松林人物山子 清 乾隆 (1736-1795)
of irregular triform, deeply carved in the round as a craggy mountain landscape set with gnarled pine trees, an immortal and attendant on a path ascending toward a high pavilion, the rich blue stone speckled with gold flecks
7.5cm high, 10cm wide
PROVENANCE: Acquired by the Hon. Mrs. Clive Behrens' son, Jack Behrens, in Asia prior to 1934.
NOTE: This mountain comes from the same Private Family collection as lots 53 to 57 Christie's London, 10th May 2016.
For another Lapis Lazuli boulder which is almost certainly carved by the same hand - see Sotheby's Hong Kong, The Personal Collection of the late Sir Joseph Hotung, 9th Oct 2022, lot 130.
Lapis lazuli was highly prized during the Qianlong period, regarded as a precious material frequently utilized within the Qing court. It was commonly carved into accessories such as court necklaces. Larger boulders could be fashioned into scholarly objects, such as mountain sculptures, serving as decorative elements in the interiors of imperial palaces.
The stone, lapis lazuli, was imported to China from Afghanistan, a factor that contributes to its rarity and value. The stone's enigmatic indigo hue evokes the heavens, thus rendering it a favored choice for the creation of ritual objects and ornaments. Due to its softness, lapis lazuli is more amenable to carving than jade, often allowing for intricate detailing. Additionally, lapis lazuli is a rarer material so fewer objects were crafted from this stone.
An example of a Qianlong-period lapis lazuli mountain is in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, illustrated in Michael Knight, He Li, and Terese Tse Bartholomew, Chinese Jades, San Francisco, 2007, plate 354.
The current lot is irregular triform, deeply carved in the round to resemble a craggy mountain landscape, complete with gnarled pine trees and a pavilion. It depicts an immortal and his companion standing on the mountain, seemingly watching over and appreciating the pavilion.
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Good condition with general signs of age.
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