A WELL-CARVED GREY-GREEN JADE DRAGON SEAL

Property from a Private American Collection

Details

A WELL-CARVED GREY-GREEN JADE DRAGON SEAL
The thick square seal carved on top with a pair of addorsed dragons, each with bulging eyes and antler-like horns, pierced through the coiled, scaly bodies, the base carved with a four-character seal reading Guangwu yubao (Imperial Treasure of Guangwu), the grey-green stone with opaque white and black mottling
4½ in. (11.3 cm.) square, wood stand

Exhibited

Virginia Museum of Fine Art, Richmond, 1977-1987.

Lot Essay

Emperor Guangwu was a Han dynasty emperor and the founder of the Eastern Han dynasty (AD 25-220). Born Liu Xiu, Guangwu participated in the rebellion against the leadership of Wang Mang, who was the ruler of the short-lived Xin dynasty. He was married to his long-time love, Empress Yin Lihua, who bore him a son, Zhuang, who later ascended the throne as Emperor Ming after Guangwu's death in 57 AD.

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