Sotheby's. A Journey Through China's History. The Dr Wou Kiuan Collection Part 1, New York, 22 March 2022
An unusual bronze cast of a Tang Buddhist stone stele, Qing dynasty, Jiaqing period (1796-1820)
Lot 52. An unusual bronze cast of a Tang Buddhist stone stele, Qing dynasty, Jiaqing period (1796-1820). Height 5¾ in., 14.8 cm. Lot sold: 126,000 USD (Estimate: 20,000 - 30,000 USD). © Sothebys.
Note: This rare scholar's object, a bronze cast of a Tang dynasty stone stele, had a specially made wood stand, which was inscribed in 1798, 1799, 1816, and 1831. This bronze cast was considered an imitation of a Six Dynasties bronze figure. The inscriptions on one side read:
Weng Fanggang admired and inscribed on the 15th [or 16th] day of the autumn 7th month of the wuwu year, third year of Jiaqing [1798]’. Signed with seal suzhai.
‘Yi Bingshou of Tingzhou admired from the capital residence in the middle of the 3rd month of the 4th year of Jiaqing [1799]’.
‘Ye Haichang of Jiangxia respectfully admired at the Moon Pavilion in the xinmao year of Daoguang [1831]’. Signed with seals haichang and jiangxia waishi.
And the other side reads:
‘On the 25th day of the 11th month of the bingzi year of Jiaqing [1816], at the Heng Mountain home, Haiyan, walked under the moon and through the mountains, this was brought to me. It’s a Northern Wei dynasty Buddha of the Six dynasties. As for the history of this sculpture, I was previously told by my friend Cao Shanyan after he returned from Hangzhou. Seeing this today, I am glad it’s the destiny of archaism. Shuwei, Zhang Tingji’. Signed with seal Shuwei.