Description
Weatherhill, New York [Published date: 1997]. Softcover, ix, 165 pp; illustrated throughout with 160 color photographs of Chinese scholar objects; 26 cm. First edition.
Rare, out-of-print & unusual books · Since 1997
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Catalog notes
Condition & notes
In very good condition. Glossy black pictorial paper covers with French flaps featuring a carved soapstone figure of a Luohan on front cover. Light bumping to edges and corners of covers and light overall scuffing. Binding tight. Pages clean and unmarked. [From front and rear flaps] The "treasures" of the Chinese scholar's studio - including brushes, inkstones, water droppers, toggles, figurines, and scholar's rocks - represent the pinnacle of a complex art which, refined over thousands of years by Chinese artisans, came to embody the highest degree of technical precision and a finely honed aesthetic sensibility. This book examines in detail the form, function, and symbolism of some of the finest scholar objects extant, primarily from the Ming and Qing dynasties and spanning five hundred years of continuous craftsmanship. The collection is prefaced with four brief essays by noted authorities, examining workmanship and materials; the influence of the Chinese language on scholar objects; literary sources and folk beliefs; and the influence of the Manchus on Chinese scholar art. The objects are then presented in five thematically grouped sections: ink and brush; animal motifs; figure portrayal; materials and motifs drawn from nature; and related collectibles. These sections are illustrated with more than one hundred sixty color photographs of pieces selected from the over three hundred in the Ji Zhen Zhai collection of scholar's studio objects, as well as from other noted museum collections. Poems and inscriptions on all pieces are translated and photographs of signatures, reign marks, and other important details are provided. These, together with extensive information on symbolism, materials, and workmanship, specifications of the pieces, and a glossary and index, make Treasures of the Chinese Scholar an invaluable reference for the collector, as well as a breathtaking volume for those interested in Chinese art and culture.