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Lot Essay
The scene depicted on the current screen is derived from a famous tale in Daoism, known as 'Laozi chu guan tu', describing Laozi leaving the border of the Chinese empire as he became weary of the morally corrupt Zhou court and chose to adopt the life of a recluse. The long inscription to the reverse of the screen is read as ‘Lao wu tu ke ci Laozi chu guan tu zao ru hou qu shi you ji xiang yun fu zhi xun hu yi lin bao ji dang you shen wu hu chi bu ke si yi er/Xushen meng xiang yu zhi/Chen Donghao feng chi jing shu’, and may be translated as ‘The painting depicting the story of Laozi leaving the border of China is recorded in the Shi Qu Bao Ji. When Laozi embarked on his journey, it was miraculous that auspicious clouds covered the sky and mythical creatures protected him through the forest. Imperially written during summertime in the cyclical year of Xushen (1788) by the official Donghao in accordance with the emperor’s orders’.
Apart from its significance in Daoism, the present lot is also remarkable for the intricacy of its carving, especially notable in the facial features of the figures depicted. Compare this to a jade table screen of a similar size, carved with the Nine Elders of Xiangshan, illustrated in The Splendour of Jade: the Songzhutang Collection of Jade, Hong Kong 2011, pl. 140. A similar white jade screen is illustrated in The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch'ing Court, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1997, cat. no. 71. Another example is illustrated in A Romance with Jade from the De An Tang Collection, Hong Kong, 2004, no. 45. Also see an imperially inscribed circular white jade table screen and stand, sold at Christie's London, 12 July 2005, lot 70.
Apart from its significance in Daoism, the present lot is also remarkable for the intricacy of its carving, especially notable in the facial features of the figures depicted. Compare this to a jade table screen of a similar size, carved with the Nine Elders of Xiangshan, illustrated in The Splendour of Jade: the Songzhutang Collection of Jade, Hong Kong 2011, pl. 140. A similar white jade screen is illustrated in The Refined Taste of the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the Ch'ing Court, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1997, cat. no. 71. Another example is illustrated in A Romance with Jade from the De An Tang Collection, Hong Kong, 2004, no. 45. Also see an imperially inscribed circular white jade table screen and stand, sold at Christie's London, 12 July 2005, lot 70.