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Lot Essay
This rare early jade carving exemplifies the sophisticated simplicity of form found in jades of the Hongshan culture, most of which represent zoomorphic forms such as the so-called pig-dragon or zhulong, birds shown frontally with wings spread, bats, turtles, humanoid figures and insect larvae or pupas, which are usually called cicadas. Most likely these last do represent the cicada at the larval or pupa stage, as the body of these pieces is of thick, somewhat cylindrical shape delineated only by two eyes carved in soft, low relief and with a few subtle ribs defining the vermiform body behind the head.
Two carvings of this form, but of smaller size, excavated from Inner Mongolia, have been published a number of times, including Zhongguo meishu quanji, Gongyi meishu bian, 9, Yuqi, Beijing, 1986, p. 5, pl. 9; and Quanguo chutu wenwu zhenpinxuan, 1976-1984, 1987, pl. 94. The carving on the left in both of these illustrations is the most like the Falk carving in form. Also, like the Falk example, it has a channel drilled through the length of the body, as well as a channel drilled transversely through the body behind the head. The yellowish-green color of the jade also appears to be similar, although the Falk piece has russet markings.
A cross-section drawing of a piece of similar form excavated at Niuheliang, Western Liaoning, Hebei province, is illustrated in Wenwu, 2000:6, p. 77, fig. 13, which shows the carving from above, as well as from the side, so that one can see how the body curves upward at the end and how the channels are interconnected.
Two carvings of this form, but of smaller size, excavated from Inner Mongolia, have been published a number of times, including Zhongguo meishu quanji, Gongyi meishu bian, 9, Yuqi, Beijing, 1986, p. 5, pl. 9; and Quanguo chutu wenwu zhenpinxuan, 1976-1984, 1987, pl. 94. The carving on the left in both of these illustrations is the most like the Falk carving in form. Also, like the Falk example, it has a channel drilled through the length of the body, as well as a channel drilled transversely through the body behind the head. The yellowish-green color of the jade also appears to be similar, although the Falk piece has russet markings.
A cross-section drawing of a piece of similar form excavated at Niuheliang, Western Liaoning, Hebei province, is illustrated in Wenwu, 2000:6, p. 77, fig. 13, which shows the carving from above, as well as from the side, so that one can see how the body curves upward at the end and how the channels are interconnected.