Lot 716 清 石雕觀音像 | AN INSCRIBED STONE CARVING OF GUANYIN AND ACOLYTES

清 石雕觀音像 | AN INSCRIBED STONE CARVING OF GUANYIN AND ACOLYTES

Qing Dynasty

GBP 1,000

GBP 1000 - 1500

未知

未知

Qing Dynasty
The figures standing on double lotus petal bases, wearing flowing robes with elaborate jewelled adornments, the central figure of Guanyin holding a lotus spray over her right shoulder, three line inscription to the base reading, inscribed and with an apocryphal date to the fourth year of the Wei Dynasty (224). 40.5cm (16 3/8in) high
Footnotes
清 石雕觀音像
Provenance: Dr Walter Rieder (1890-1986)
Dr Walter Rieder (1890-1986) served in the Swiss East Asia Mission (SOAM) in Qingdao, Shandong Province, between October 1930 and December 1951. The mission specialised in educational, literary and philanthropic work and Dr Rieder was in fact, not a theologian or missionary, but a teacher of mathematics, physics and science to high school students attached to the SOAM. His guiding principles were 'Creating understanding between different cultures' and 'Building bridges between East and West'. While in Qingdao, Dr Rieder collected a wide variety of Chinese art. The objects in the collection thus offer a unique window into the type of antiques that were on the market in Qingdao in the second quarter of the 20th century. As well as demonstrating his passion for Chinese art, his collection also reveals the personal friendships Dr Rieder forged with local artists, some of whom he knew from his teaching activities. Dr Rieder had a scholarly approach to studying his collection. Alongside many of his objects, meticulous notes can sometimes be found detailing his art historical commentaries. The collection was hence Dr Rieder's gateway to the history and culture of China. Objects from the collection were exhibited at the Kunsthaus in Interlaken, Switzerland in 2006 and 2018.