QING DYNASTY, 17-18TH CENTURY
HEIGHT: 5.3CM
The knop of the pale beige soapstone is finely carved in the form of a mythical beast. Two horns protrude through the mane and the ridge of the spine is detailed along the back towards a bushy tail curled around the foot. The seal base has a six-character incised mark ‘renguo shi kanxi‘ 忍過事堪喜 (‘if you can bear what happens, you still can be happy’) – a verse from the poem Qianxing 遣興 “Venting My feelings,” by Du Mu 杜牧 (803-852).
清十七-十八世紀壽山石瑞獸印 《忍過事堪喜》款