GJPaw Auctions is very pleased to offer a rare and fantastic Chinese Gongshi or Scholars' Rock. The word gong means
"spirit" and shi "stone." The Chinese interest in
collecting rocks for religious or aesthetic purposes has been traced back to
the Han dynasty (206 B.C. - A.D. 220) when connoisseurs began using large
stones to decorate their gardens and courtyards. The interest developed from an
appreciation of the larger garden rocks, but the smaller size enabled them to
be carried indoors where they could be used for the purposes of meditation,
being appreciated for their dramatic form and texture or the feelings they
evoked from the viewer. Gongshi can be loosely divided
into two general categories: abstract and representational. Abstract stones are commonly called
“scholar’s rocks.” They may be
reminiscent of coral or cloud-like shapes and often have swirls, holes and
myriad caverns on their surface. They
typically appear to be naturally eroded, sometimes resembling famous or
imaginary mountains and natural wonders. Scholar’s rocks are considered the
embodiment of the transformational powers of nature. Gongshi which fall into
the second category, representational, can also be called “Spirit Stones.” In
this category, the rocks themselves transcend the abstract and begin to
reference the known world. Stones with
inclusions which look like people, mythological creatures, and other imagery
fall into this category as well as those with shapes which do the
same. Spirit stones condense the known world in an abstract fashion, or
conversely, expand the abstract world in a representational way. This
extraordinary and quite superb abstract example was clearly appreciated
for the qualities of the form, which are at once both dramatic and poignant. It measures approximately 4.25 inches in diameter by 8 inches in height (10.7 cm by 20.3 cm), and is mounted on a custom-made, metal base. Height dimension includes the base. The age of this unique piece is
indeterminate. The stone and base are in very good condition. Please inquire for full condition report. It is guaranteed authentic and was collected
in China. It would be a terrific addition to any collection of
Chinese antiques and art as well as scholar's objects.
GJPaw Auctions has been in the Art business for over 25 years and is now expanding its operation to eBay. Our goal is to bring the same experience and excitement of collecting that we have been delivering in-person to collectors across the globe at Primitive in Chicago. Every object we sell online has been carefully hand-selected with special attention to detail, quality, and significance. We ship worldwide. Add GJPaw to Sellers you Follow and please take a moment to look at our other auction items.