Adam's FINE ASIAN ART November 18 2024

426 386 AN INSCRIBED AND DATED 'XIN TIAN ZHU REN' SOAPSTONE SEAL 清代双龙教子钮‘信天主人’寿山石印章 of rectangular form, the block with incised inscription "The Master of Heaven Qianlong, made by the House of Internal Affairs” , dating to the year 1787, the upper section delicate- ly carved with coiled dragon and chilong amongst cloud swirls, the face with four characters in intaglio, apparently unrecord- ed, 9.5cm high, 7.5cm long Provenance: Private European Collection € 10,000 - 15,000 SCHOLARLY ELEGANCE 文尚自然 In Chinese culture, ‘scholarly elegance’ is the appreciation of refined objects used for writing and painting, and other intellectual and artistic pursuits. Tools such as brushes, inkstones, and paper were not only practical but also symbolic of one's cultivated taste. Seals made from jade and soapstone held significant importance, used to stamp cal- ligraphy and paintings with the scholar's personal mark. These seals, often intricately carved, embodied the scholar's identity and were treasured as both functional tools and exquisite works of art.