China, Qing (Ching) Dynasty, ca. 1644 to 1912 CE. A Chinese Scholar's stone of polished, milky white hues displaying a remarkable form that conjures mountainscapes, set in a 5-legged rosewood pedestal carved with patterns mirroring those of the stone and zoomorphic legs. The term "scholar's rock" is traditionally used to describe rocks of a distinctive shape, color, and texture, with an appearance impressive enough to be deemed fitting for meditation in a scholar's studio. Size: stone 8.75" W x 11.5" H (22.2 cm x 29.2 cm); stand 6" W x 3.875" H (15.2 cm x 9.8 cm)

Chinese Scholar's Rocks are either naturally formed or "sculptured" stones that manifest in surprising shapes and textures, as we see in this example. Collected by scholars (literati) since ancient times, scholar stones are now increasing in popularity throughout the West as many can appreciate their artistic value. Scholars rocks reside in the most prestigious museums; the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC have permanent exhibits of these mesmerizing stones. Writers have dubbed these amazing scholar rocks "Rock Stars", "New Hot Stones", and "3-D Paintings". Stones that have been sculpted naturally via erosion or that appear to have been shaped by nature even if they have been artfully enhanced by man are especially prized. Such rocks in their pitted, hollowed out, and perforated state, are often precariously displayed on end, as we see here, regarded as embodying dynamic transformational yet natural processes. Interestingly, such stones resonate with modern day collectors who oftentimes draw parallels between these stones and the avant-garde sculptures of Brancusi, Giacometti, and Moore.

Provenance: Ex-California Private Collection

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#119883

One tip of stone reattached. One tiny scuff to pedestal.