Suiseki Scholar Art Viewing Stone

A naturally hollowed stone inset into a carved hardwood base measuring 10 x 8 x 16 cm (4 x 3 x 6-1/4 inches). It is in excellent condition. Suiseki is the appreciation of naturally formed stones that evoke landscapes, mountains, islands, waterfalls, animals, or abstract natural forms. The stones are not carved (except perhaps the base) and are displayed on wooden bases or in shallow sand filled trays called Suiban. In Tea culture distinguished viewing stones were often displayed in the tokonoma alongside a hanging scroll and seasonal flowers, creating an arrangement that complemented the aesthetic sensibilities of the tea gathering. The appreciation of an Ido tea bowl and a suiseki share much in common: both celebrate natural irregularity, subtle surface qualities, and the capacity of an object to evoke an entire landscape through suggestion rather than representation.