A Rare Large Grey-Green Jade Figure of a Recumbent Water Buffalo

MING DYNASTY

Details

A Rare Large Grey-Green Jade Figure of a Recumbent Water Buffalo
Ming Dynasty
Well carved with legs tucked beneath the full, rounded body and tail flicked to one side, the head turned inquisitively towards the viewer, with small well-detailed nostrils and small eyes, the ears well hollowed beneath the pair of ridged horns curved back onto the neck, with an incised spiralled hair marking on the top of the head, the stone of soft grey-green tone suffused with flecks of opaque mottling
12¾in. (32.4cm.) long, wood stand

Provenance

Bulgari, Rome
Eskenazi, London

Lot Essay

Compare two other large jade figures of water buffaloes dated to the Ming dynasty included in the O.C.S. exhibition, Chinese Jade throughout the ages, London, 1975, nos. 396 and 397 and illustrated in T.O.C.S., 1973-75, vol. 40, p. 120. The water buffalo from the collection of Mr. Somerset de Chair, no. 397, appears to be very similar to the present buffalo and is of the same grey green color. Two others are illustrated in the catalogue of the O.C.S. exhibition, The Arts of the Ming Dynasty, London, 1957, nos. 343 and 344, pl. 93. See, also, the figure sold in these rooms, 30 November 1983, lot 275.

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