Large Fantastic Wood 'Scholars Rock'

A bronzed palm tree and Gazelle on a rock base sculpture, Marked T. T.W. on the side of the base. Nice patina and size. The sculpture measures 10" inches hig...

A pair of soapstone Buddhist lions Each finely carved seated on its haunches with a fierce expression, modelled in mirror image seated on a rectangu...

On offer is a large and expressive scholar rock on a fitted wood stand collected by an American collector in Palm Desert, CA circa 1980s. The deep grey boulder is likely granite and takes a wonderful natural form of a mountain peak. The dark matrix is dramatically intercepted with strokes of white veins, that looks like an abstract painting by Franz Kine. The rock is presented in the tradition of a Chinese scholar rock (Gong Shi) on a fitted carved wood stand, but it strikes the viewer as a modern and abstract version. While Chinese scholar stones are appreciated all over the world, many collectors also look into their local stone sources that reflect the same spirit and philosophy of using the viewing stone...

Contemporary American ceramic artist Richard Hirsch's Scholar Rock Cup Sculpture was assembled in 2018. It's wheel thrown and hand built clay with red and black glaze, raku rust patinas and polychrome enamel paint. Hirsch creates ceramic sculptures that explore the spirituality and ritual embedded in familiar vessel forms. He imbues his work with the look of age and antiquity by applying certain ceramic surfaces and incorporating other materials such as iron, glass, bronze, and wood. As Hirsch states in his artist statement, "Ultimately, this work is an attempt to metamorphosize the seemingly mundane vessel-object into a sacred entity." This three piece sculpture...