Sale 2388
Hong Kong
|
27 November 2007
Price realised
HKD 787,500
Estimate
A FINE WHITE JADE FIGURE OF BAN JIEYU QING DYNASTY (1644-1911) The graceful standing figure is modelled with a slightly lowered head, her hair swept back into an elaborate knot, revealing a serene face with lips slightly indented to provide a gentle smiling expression, dressed in a voluminous flowing robe with ample long sleeves, both hands holding a bat, the lower robe on the reverse side with a two line inscription, Ban Jieyue xiao xiang, 'A small portrait of Ban Jieyue', and follow by the signature, Lu Zigang zhi, 'Made by Lu Zigang', the semi-translucent stone of an even white tone 6 in. (15.2 cm.) high, stand
Provenance
Purchased in Geneva, circa 1980
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Literature
Robert Kleiner, Chinese Jades from the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, Hong Kong, 1996, no.177
Exhibited
Christie's New York, March 13-26, 2001 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, August 2003 - December 2004
Ban Jieyu (circa 48-6 BC) was a consort of Emperor Cheng of the Western Han dynasty (r. 33-7 BC) who was known for her poetry skills. When she fell out of Emperor Cheng's favour, Ban was removed to the Changxin Palace where she wrote poetry in Yuefu style (poems composed in folk song style). In her famous composition, 'Song of Resentment', Ban compared herself to an Autumn fan that had been discarded, and conveyed her sorrow at having been abandoned by the Emperor. Through her poetry, Ban inspired symphathy from famous Tang poets such as Li Bai (701-762) and Wang Changling (692-749), and also the Qing dynasty Emperor Qianlong, all of whom wrote their own poetry with reference to her.
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