Expert’s note: The present lot is remarkable for the superb grain and thickness of the bamboo, allowing the artist to skillfully bring the figural scene to life utilizing the depth of the wood to create multiple layers – note the straw mat beneath the immortal – and build a three-dimensional effect. This layering represents the mature style of the Jiading school, which developed during the Kangxi period and further evolved during the 18th century.

China, late 17^th-18^th century. Of cylindrical form supported on three short feet, the mouth and foot rims slightly everted and incurved. Finely carved in low relief with the jovial Liu Hai seated on a neatly incised straw mat, holding a coin in his left hand, and stooping towards his trusty three-legged toad. The bamboo of a superb grain and color.

Inscriptions: To the side, signed ‘Wu Zhifan’. One seal of the the artist, ‘Luzhen.’

Provenance: Brussels trade. A private collection in Belgium, acquired from the above.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, expected age cracks, and traces of use.

Weight: 251.8 g
Dimensions: Height 13.3 cm

Wu Zhifan (active during the Kangxi period), known also by his artist name Luzhen, was a member of the Jiading school of bamboo carving and was active during the reign of the Kangxi emperor. He was one of the most important and influential bamboo carvers of his time, renowned for his delicate and naturalistic low-relief carving technique known as bo di yang wen.

The Jiading School of bamboo carving alongside the Jinling school was located in Jiangsu Province during the late Ming dynasty. The two schools were known for the highest quality of bamboo carving at that time. By the mid-Qing dynasty, the Jinling school had slowly lost its edge, while Jiading continued on with the heritage of the Three Zhus (Zhu He, Zhu Ying and Zhu Zhizheng) for generation after generation. Around early-Qing, Jiading carvers of bamboo started to combine high and low reliefs of different colors to enhance contrast, as can be seen in the present bitong. This specific skill grew more and more sophisticated over time and the levels of depths in protrusion increased from initially one or two to six different grades. After these improvements Jiading eventually became the leading region for the very best bamboo carvings.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related bamboo brushpot by Wu Zhifan with a near identical carving of Liu Hai and his toad, dated 1683 by inscription, at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 2 May 2005, lot 664. For another example of Wu's carvings, see a bamboo brushpot similarly carved in low-relief with Lao Zi seated on a buffalo, dated 1672, from the Collection of Mr. B. S. McElney, illustrated in Ip Yee and Laurence C. S. Tam, Chinese Bamboo Carving: Part 1, Hong Kong, 1978, p. 220-221, cat. no. 44.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 April 2013, lot 3167
Price: HKD 250,000 or approx. EUR 37,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A carved bamboo ‘Lui Hai’ brushpot, signed Wu Zhifan, Qing dynasty, 18^th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject and manner of carving by the same artist as the present lot.