QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)

Details

A LARGE WHITE JADE 'CRANES' GROUP
QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795)
The large carving is impressively executed as a larger and a smaller crane, conjoined with their heads turned towards each other, each grasping a gnarled leafy peach branch in their beaks. Each bird is depicted with their wings folded at their sides and their legs tucked beneath them. The details of their feathers are finely incised. The stone is of an even white tone with a small russet inclusion to the underside.
6 ½ in. (16.5 cm.)

Provenance

With T. Y. King & Sons, Hong Kong, 23 December 1967.

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Samantha Yuen

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Lot Essay

The imagery of cranes and peaches portrays a wish for longevity, with both symbols closely associated with the Immortal, Shoulao, the God of Longevity. In Chinese mythology, peaches give long life to whomever consumes them, and hence are heavily featured in imagery associated with Immortals and other legendary figures.

Compare a smaller example dating to the 18th-19th century housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, accession no. 02.18.555 and one dated to the 18th century sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 7 April 2015, lot 3657. Compare also the stylistically similar water vessel carved as a single crane and peach from the James E. Sowell Collection sold at Christie's New York, 16 September 2015, lot 660.

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