Zhou Bin

CHINA, Fujian, Zhangzhou; Qing dynasty

Zhou Bin was a seal engraver and sculptor also known as Shangjun. He was skilled in carving figures, especially Maitreya Bodhisattva and Arhats, exhibiting a fine and delicate quality. He was also highly acclaimed for his “bogut button” seals, which were button-shaped seals with ancient features. Records of Fuzhou Shoushan Stone documents a button seal which depicted a dragon in the waves with brightly decorative sides and patterns carved below with the name Shangjun in small seal script hidden in the middle.
Seals by Zhou were collected primarily in the imperial palace. His Arhat sculpture made of Shoushan stone is kept at the National Museum of China in Beijing, and Maitreya Bodhisattva is at the Palace Museum in Beijing.