Lot Essay
A beast of this form, carved from jade and dated Jin-Yuan, is in the Worrell Collection, illustrated by John Ayers, A Jade Menagerie, London, 1993, no. 15
Details
A RARE SOAPSTONE CARVING OF A MYTHICAL BEAST
EARLY MING DYNASTY
The animal shown crouching on all fours with hunched, rounded body and head lowered, with bulging eyes and snarling expression exposing pointed teeth and tufts of hair issuing from its snout, the softly polished stone of mottled pale toffee tone with an attractive streak of russet highlighting the bushy brow and other streaks of dark gray and opaque brown throughout, the body further embellished with incised decoration of stylized dragons, probably executed in the 18th century, repolished
3¾in. (9.6cm.) long
EARLY MING DYNASTY
The animal shown crouching on all fours with hunched, rounded body and head lowered, with bulging eyes and snarling expression exposing pointed teeth and tufts of hair issuing from its snout, the softly polished stone of mottled pale toffee tone with an attractive streak of russet highlighting the bushy brow and other streaks of dark gray and opaque brown throughout, the body further embellished with incised decoration of stylized dragons, probably executed in the 18th century, repolished
3¾in. (9.6cm.) long