SONG/MING DYNASTY, 12TH-16TH CENTURY

Details

A GREY AND BROWN JADE RHYTON
SONG/MING DYNASTY, 12TH-16TH CENTURY
In the form of a hollowed horn carved around the sides between further incised scrolls above and below, with two curved hair-incised ears or tabs projecting from the base opposite a bifurcated mane or tail that curls up on one side and on which a chilong stands as it pulls itself up onto the rim while another dragon crawls up the lower body near a small mask suspending a fixed ring handle hooked at the bottom on the head and neck of a tiny dragon, the greyish-white stone with areas of brown coloring and rich russet brown skin
4 5/8 in. (11.7 cm.) high, box

Lot Essay

Jade vessels of this type have been dated from the Song to the Ming dynasty and appear to be based on Han dynasty prototypes such as the jade rhyton from the tomb of the King of Nanyue at Canton illustrated by Jessica Rawson, Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, The British Museum, 1995, p. 70, fig. 61. The bifurcated tail or mane seen on the Nanyue cup carried through into the later archaistic interpretations, which also included bands of archaistic scrolls and usually the addition of Han style chi dragons, as seen on the present rhyton. Compare the similar jade rhyton from the collection of Mr. H.F. Parfitt, included in the O.C.S. exhibition, Chinese Jades, London, 1948, pl. VII, no. 118, which was dated Song.

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