AN EXTREMELY RARE AND FINELY INLAID ZITAN 'SCHOLARS' RECTANGULAR BOX AND COVER

Attributed to Zhou Zhu, Jiajing

Footnotes

明嘉靖 傳周柱製紫檀嵌寶「松蔭文會圖」長方蓋盒

The subject matter of this box is an elegant gathering, or yaji in Chinese, where scholars and literati convened to enjoy music, discuss literature, and reflect on antiquity and art. It was a popular motif for artists and frequently depicted on paintings from which the present box's design might have been based on. See for example, the painting 'Elegant Gathering in the Western Garden', Song dynasty, depicting Su Dongpo (1037-1101) in a similarly tall scholar's cap, in the Palace Museum, Taipei (acc.no.故畫001466N000000000). The present lot belongs to a select group of inlaid boxes typically crafted from precious zitan wood. Distinguished by its exceptional craftsmanship, the quality of the inlay strongly suggests it may be the work of the celebrated Ming dynasty master carver Zhou Zhu.

Renowned in the writings of Ming and Qing literati, Zhou worked in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, during the Jiajing Emperor's reign. He perfected the intricate art of inlaying a wide array of precious stones and materials onto wood and lacquer, setting his work apart from others with its remarkable complexity and innovative use of materials. Zhou's hallmark was his unparalleled range of inlay materials, including soapstone, malachite, horn, and even precious metals such as gold and silver. His technique went beyond juxtaposing materials, creating depth and dimension through layers of inlay. The present box exemplifies this multi-layered approach, where the kaleidoscopic array of materials achieves a striking three-dimensional effect.

Though Zhou's exact birth date remains unknown, a box attributed to him with an inscription dated to 1537, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 8 October 2010, lot 2192, provides clear evidence of his work during the Jiajing period. See also another related zitan inlaid box and cover, attributed to Zhou Zhu, Jiajing, illustrated by M.Flacks, Custodians of the Scholar's Way: Chinese Scholars' Objects in Precious Woods, London, 2014, p.377. Zhou's techniques and perhaps his studio continued long after Zhou Zhu's death and these types of inlaid objects became known as 'Zhou work' (Zhou zhi). See C.Clunas, Chinese Furniture, London, 1997, p.94. See also a zitan-inlaid box and cover with inlaid hardstones attributed to Zhou Zhu, Illustrated by Sydney L. Moss Ltd., Escape from the Dusty World: Chinese Paintings and Literati Works of Art, London, 1999, p.229, no.62.

A comprehensive group of related inlaid boxes is in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Bamboo, Wood, Ivory, and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, Hong Kong, 2002, pls.219–248.

See also a related hardstone inlaid zitan brush palette, attributed to Zhou Zhu, Jiajing, which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 24 November 2012, lot 308.