Lot 056 A MAGNIFICENT AND RARE ‘HUANGHUALI’ FIGURE OF SHOULAO LATE QING DYNASTY / REPUBLIC PERIOD 清末民初 黄花梨随形寿星像

Description

A MAGNIFICENT AND RARE ‘HUANGHUALI’ FIGURE OF SHOULAO
LATE QING DYNASTY / REPUBLIC PERIOD
清末民初 黄花梨随形寿星像
ESTIMATE: $5,000 – $8,000
Description
This exceptional sculpture is masterfully carved from a single, substantial block of precious Huanghuali wood, prized for its dense grain and warm, honey-colored translucency. The artist has brilliantly employed a naturalistic “root-style” (suixing) carving technique, seamlessly integrating the organic hollows and burls of the timber into the figure’s flowing robes and the cavernous grotto base.
The figure represents Shoulao, the God of Longevity, depicted with his characteristic high, prominent cranium symbolizing wisdom and long life. The facial features are rendered with exquisite detail; his eyes are narrow and peaceful, and his magnificent, long beard is carved with rhythmic, fluid lines that cascade down his chest. The wood exhibits the celebrated “ghost face” (guilian) knots and shimmering “shuilin” (water-ripple) grain patterns characteristic of high-quality Huanghuali. The entire piece has acquired a deep, unctuous patina through decades of appreciative handling, radiating a sophisticated, scholarly aesthetic.
Dimensions
• Height: 35 cm (13.8 in)
CONDITION REPORT
The sculpture is in overall excellent and stable condition. The Huanghuali wood retains its original dense structure and characteristic sweet fragrance. There are minor, age-appropriate surface nicks and faint, stable shrinkage cracks consistent with the nature of the hardwood. The carving remains sharp and well-defined, and the wood possesses a rich, oily luster with no signs of restoration.
Provenance
• From a Private Canadian Collection
清末民初 黄花梨随形寿星像
描述
此尊寿星像由珍贵的黄花梨木大料雕就，木质极其温润凝腻，色如琥珀。工匠巧用“随形雕”技法，将黄花梨天然的瘿瘤与孔洞化为仙人的宽袍大袖与身后的古木山石，意境浑然天成，神韵非凡。
寿星开相古朴慈祥，额头高耸（寿星之典型特征），长须如瀑，丝丝分明且极具动感。木材表面清晰可见黄花梨特有的**“鬼脸纹”**与行云流水般的木纹，质地半透明，尽显名贵木材的天然之美。整器包浆极其浑厚，光泽如镜，触手温凉如玉。这种体量硕大且雕工传神的黄花梨人物造像，是文房收藏中极为难得的重器。
技术规格
• 高度： 约 35 厘米
品相报告
整器品相极佳，结构稳固。黄花梨木性稳定，表面见有极少量的自然干缩细纹，均属传世良材的正常岁月痕迹，不影响结构。皮壳极其莹润，未见任何现代人工修补或改刻痕迹。
来源
• 来自加拿大私人珍藏