A carved 'chicken blood' soapstone figure of a Luohan, signed Yang Yuxuan, 17th century | 十七世紀 雞血石石雕羅漢坐像《玉璇》款

Acquired in China by Lieutenant Colonel Toussaint Gabriel Jean Baptiste Beuchon (1860-1914), ca. 1900, and thence by descent.

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Toussaint Gabriel Jean Baptiste Beuchon中校（Toussaint Gabriel Jean Baptiste Beuchon，1860–1914）收藏，約1900年得自中國，此後家族傳承至今

Yang Yuxuan, also known by the names Yang Ji, Yu Rei and Xuan, was a native of Zhangpu, Fujian province, and went on to perfect his stone carving in the provincial capital of Fuzhou. Undoubtedly the most famous soapstone carver of all time, Yang’s reputation had already gained traction during his lifetime. Praised by his contemporary, scholar-official Zhou Lianggong, Yang’s knifework was said to be ‘like that of supernatural beings’ and his work widely collected among the elite and members of the imperial court.

Although Yang Yuxuan was a prolific carver, only a very small number of his surviving works are signed. Traditionally, while literary artists were highly venerated and were expected to sign their work, craftsmen such as Yang would generally not have carved their signature on a piece unless it was of particular importance. Notable examples of Yang Yuxuan’s signed works are preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing, suggesting that he was either given specific commissions by the Court, or that his works came to the attention of the Imperial family, either through tributes or gifts. Compare a related signed tianhuang figure of Pindola in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Zhongguo wenwu jinghua da cidian. Jinyin yushi juan [Dictionary of Chinese cultural relics. Gold, silver, jade and stone], Shanghai, 1996, pl. 241; and a soapstone figure of Avalokiteshvara, also in the Palace Museum, illustrated in Yang Boda, Zhongguo meishu quanji. Diaosu bian [The complete series on Chinese art. Sculpture], Beijing, 1988, vol. 6: Yuan Ming Qing diaosu [Yuan, Ming and Qing carving], p. 143, pl. 154, and, pp 44-45, where the author points out that the manner in which Yang Yuxuan carves the robes, and the cut of the knife itself, is exceptional, in that the cut is diagonal, as opposed to the perpendicular style of most Qing carvers, resulting in a more powerful, realistic effect.

For other signed figures of luohan by Yang Yuxuan, compare a soapstone carving, originally in the Spencer-Churchill Collection, Northwick Park, included in the Oriental Ceramic Society of Hong Kong exhibition Arts from the Scholar's Studio, Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1986, cat. no. 45; a soapstone figure of Vajraputra from the Mi Yun Hall collection sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 2nd April 2016, lot 3686; another luohan of closely related mottled gaoshan stone, sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 25th May 2011, lot 273; and an important set of eighteen luohan sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 3rd April 2019, lot 3686.

楊璣，福建漳浦人，名璇，字玉璇，一作玉璿。楊氏善刻印鈕，雕人物、走獸靈動逼真，時人稱絕，乃中國藝史上壽石名匠。玉璇傳世作品不少，但落款者寥寥。中國自古士大夫思想，視文人為清高，詩書繪畫最得重視，金石陶瓷則屬雕蟲小技，出自匠人之手，因此士人作品俱有落款，匠人則多不具名。此品雖然袖珍，鐫銘帶款，足見其珍。

楊玉璇落款之作不多，其壽山石雕在北京故宮博物院藏有數件，推論楊氏作品或曾上貢宮中，得帝王青睞，進為朝廷所用，北京故宮藏一件田黃雕賓度羅尊者像，錄於《中國文物精華大辭典：金銀玉石卷》，上海，1996年，編號241，與本尊者像十分相似，其姿態身形、衣袍褶痕、袈裟紋飾，均出自同一工藝傳統，細刻髮絲，由頭頂中心髮旋放射向外，面容描寫亦極為相像，身側臥虎均乖馴趴伏，仰目注視其主。

北京故宮博物院藏另一件楊玉璇落款之作，為壽山石雕觀世音菩薩，載於楊伯達，《中國美術全集：雕塑編》，卷6：元明清雕塑，1988年，頁143，圖版154，頁44-45，此處論其刀法高妙精湛，以斜角刀刻袍服，相較於多數清代匠人慣用直刀，更顯力道十足，寫實擬真。

參考一件楊玉璇款壽山石雕羅漢像，出自英國斯賓塞．邱吉爾舊藏，展出於香港東方陶瓷學會《文玩萃珍》，馮平山博物館，香港大學，香港，1986年，編號45，此像背面楊氏名款與本品一致。並比較其他作例，如梅雲堂珍藏伐闍羅弗多羅尊者，2016年4月2日售於香港蘇富比，編號3686；印第安納州 Conner Prairie 博物館藏一尊羅漢，2011年5月25日售於香港邦瀚斯，編號366，同場一尊羅漢，出自 Q 收藏，編號273。並比較吳普心舊藏田黃雕瑞獅，「玉旋」款，2006年10月7日於香港蘇富比售出，編號916。