B32

Chalcedony, pale-beige with a darker brown inclusion, minimally carved to show a long-haired, bearded sage accompanied by his attendant, a flower at his feet, both on a cliff top sheltering under a gnarled tree which bends over whilst they look towards a large flying bird, possibly a crane. Across from the figures is a deep valley with another tree growing precariously on a cliff edge.

Chinese, 1750 - 1860
Stopper: coral set into metal mount
Provenance: Marylin Shaw
Hugh Moss Ltd, 1973

One of the very attractive features of the silhouette agate group is that they present a slice of life, conceived and executed by a master carver, which will transport the beholder to a dream like state, allowing the mind and imagination to lead them away from the complexities of the present. This is a heart- warming scene, with an elderly sage and his attendant enjoying the elements on top of a precarious cliff.