SHANG DYNASTY, C. 1600-1046 BC

Details

A PALE CELADON JADE CARVING OF A BIRD
SHANG DYNASTY, C. 1600-1046 BC
The jade is carved as a bird, possibly a mallard, swimming in profile with a pronounced bifurcated crest and a bifurcated tail. Both sides are finely incised with double-line details. The stone is of a pale celadon tone with areas of opaque alteration.
2 11/16 in. (6.7 cm.) wide, box

Provenance

Lantien Shanfang Collection, acquired in Taipei in 1992

Lot Essay

The bifurcated crest seen on the current carving is closely related to that found on jade carvings of birds excavated from the tomb of Fuhao, such as a bird-shaped knife and a carving of an owl illustrated in The Jades from Yinxu, Beijing, 1981, no. 31 (955), and no. 49 (368) (fig. 1), respectively, and a further carving of an owl illustrated in Yinxu Fuhao mu (The Jades from the tomb of Fu Hao at Yinxu), Beijing, 1980, no. 4 (472). Most of the extant jade carvings of birds from this period are shown either standing or with spread wings, it is very rare to find one shown swimming and in depicted in such a naturalistic manner.

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