Bidspirit auction | Monumental Sculpture in Solid Honey

Monumental Sculpture in Solid Honey Onyx ”TRIUMPH OF THE DRAGON AND PHOENIX” (LÓNG FÈNG) China. Late 20th – early 21st century. An important contemporary work of art of the highest rank. Single monolith of natural calcite onyx (”honey onyx”); report issued by the Moscow Gemmological Laboratory (MGL). Dimensions: 147 × 120 × 40 cm (including base). Weight: approx. 500–600 kg. Condition: near excellent, minimal signs of use. The sculpture is a highly complex multi-figure composition representing one of the supreme symbols of world philosophy — the Union of the Dragon (Lóng) and the Phoenix (Fènghuáng), playing with a pearl among the clouds. Emerging from a ”boiling” sea of clouds, it personifies Yin–Yang harmony, unbroken prosperity of the lineage and imperial majesty. In scale, complexity of carving and power of symbolic imagery, the composition corresponds to the ceremonial and artistic standards of stone-carving décor of the imperial courts of China and modern state residences. The monolith is executed in the technique of ultra-deep, multi-tiered openwork carving (lòukōng diāo): the finest dragon whiskers, the lace-like plumage of the phoenix and tongues of flame are cut from the solid block without any gluing or additions, at the very limit of the stone's physical capabilities. High-precision mirror polishing, carried through to the deepest carved junctions, produces the ”candy-like” transparency and inner glow characteristic of honey onyx. The massive base in precious wood, with bespoke carving imitating a rocky shore, structurally counterbalances the monolith and underscores its status as the focal point of an interior. A flawless block of calcite onyx of such weight and colour saturation is an exceptional rarity for a stone carver; creating sculptures of this scale and level of detail requires the coordinated work of a workshop of 5–10 master craftsmen of the highest qualification over a period of 2–4 years. The object is not an antique in the strict historical sense; however, the rarity of the material, the volume of handwork and the strength of the symbolic image place it among investment-grade assets of the highest category, intended for ceremonial interiors at state and economic level, lobbies of five-star hotels and private palace residences.