{"product_id":"antique-pair-scholar-art-root-wood-geese","title":"Antique Pair Scholar Art Root-Wood Geese","description":"\u003cp\u003eA pair of geese carved and polished from natural root-wood in a rich red patina dating from the era of scholar arts in the late 19th to early 20th centuries. They are 11.5 x 16 x 15.5 cm and 21 x 5.5 x 22 cm (4-1\/2 x 6-1\/2 x 6 and 8-1\/2 x 2 x 9 inches) respectively. There is a repair to the neck of the bird looking up, and to the tail of the bird looking to the right. Please see close-up photos for details. To the intellectual images of geese would immediately call to mind the tragic historical Chinese scholar Wang Xihi.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWang Xizhi (303–361 CE) was a celebrated Chinese figure from the Eastern Jin Dynasty, often regarded as the \"Sage of Calligraphy.\" Wang Xizhi is famously associated with geese, both as a source of inspiration and in legendary anecdotes. According to tradition, Wang had a deep affection for geese, captivated by their graceful movements, particularly the way their necks curved and their wings glided through water. He observed these qualities and integrated their fluidity into his calligraphy strokes, striving to emulate their natural elegance. One well-known story recounts how Wang Xizhi exchanged one of his calligraphy masterpieces for a prized white goose. This tale illustrates his profound admiration for the bird, suggesting that he valued their beauty and inspiration as highly as his own celebrated art. The association between Wang Xizhi and geese became a motif in Chinese culture, symbolizing artistic refinement and the harmony between nature and creativity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the eighteenth century onward, Japanese scholars, painters, poets and sencha practitioners cultivated an admiration for Chinese literati culture. This included Chinese paintings, calligraphy, inkstones, brush pots, scholar's rocks, root-wood furniture and other objects whose irregular natural forms suggested retreat from urban sophistication and communion with nature. Objects made from roots, knots and burls were perfectly suited to this ideal. The finest examples become dramatically more beautiful with age. Repeated handling darkens projecting surfaces. Recesses retain lighter or rougher textures. Oils from hands enrich the grain. Root-wood that may initially have appeared coarse develops a deep brown or reddish-black surface. And importantly, cracks, knots, holes and irregularities were not necessarily repaired or disguised. They could be incorporated into the composition. The craftsman's skill lay partly in knowing what not to carve away. It is tempting to explain these objects simply through wabi-sabi. However, that phrase is now applied so broadly that it can obscure the more specific historical context. The taste of the bunjin scholar was somewhat different. The attraction was not merely imperfection or rusticity. It involved cultivated eccentricity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kura Monzen Gallery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51127610474743,"sku":"RM047","price":134900.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/7472\/3063\/files\/2026-09-0614.44.03.jpg?v=1791091869","url":"https:\/\/kuramonzen.com\/products\/antique-pair-scholar-art-root-wood-geese","provider":"Kura Monzen Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}