17TH-18TH CENTURY

Details

A FINELY CARVED WHITE JADE FIGURE OF A MYTHICAL BEAST
17TH-18TH CENTURY
The head of the recumbent beast is finely detailed with a broad, curved mouth above the scalloped line of its beard, a nose with down-turned tip and laid-back ears. The body has rounded knobs indicating the backbone and a bifurcated tail which is tufted on one side with finely detailed hair markings. The luminous stone of even white tone has some areas of russet color on one side, and has a satiny polish.
3 ½ in. (9 cm.) long, hongmu stand

Provenance

Stephen Junkunc, III (d. 1978) Collection.

Special notice

Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Rufus Chen (陳嘉安) Head of Sale, AVP, Specialist

asianartny@christies.com +1 212 636 2180

Lot Essay

This finely carved figure is similar to the white jade figure of a recumbent mythical beast illustrated by James C. Y. Watt in Chinese Jade from the Collection of the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, 1989, no. 55. The shape of the nose and the softly rounded backbone are very similar, as is the polish. The Seattle figure is dated late Ming to early Qing, and the author notes that the "very fine and technically sophisticated carving points to a date of early Qing." The unusual shape of the nose can also be seen on a yellow and brown jade figure of a mythical animal of Song-dynasty date, illustrated by Watt in Chinese Jades from Han to Ch'ing, The Asia Society, New York, 1980, p. 76, no. 58 and again in the exhibition catalogue, Chinese Jade Animals, Hong Kong, 1996, pp. 112-13, no. 85.

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