A RARE LARGE GRAY-GREEN JADE IMPERIAL SEAL

Details

A RARE LARGE GRAY-GREEN JADE IMPERIAL SEAL
DAOGUANG

The deep, square block surmounted by a crouching dragon with sharply arched back, with scaly body, knobby horns, coiled tail and flames on the haunches, the underside carved with four seal characters, Xuan Huang Hou Bao, 'seal of the Xuan Empress', and also with Manchu characters, the stone of celadon-green tone with opaque buff and some brown mottling throughout, chip--5 3/4in. (14.6cm.) high, 5 3/8in. (13.6cm.) square

Provenance

Edward and Louise B. Sonnenschein Collection, no. 1104
Art Institute of Chicago loan, no. 33.50

Lot Essay

According to Qing court regulations jade seals and books were presented to an empress, empress dowager or grand empress dowager, sometimes in lieu of a gold seal or book, when she was appointed or honored with a laudatory title. For a jade seal carved with both seal characters and Manchu characters see the dated Qianlong example surmounted by addorsed dragons included in the exhibition, Treasures from the Palace Museum, Japan, 1982, Catalogue no. 2