Page 426 - Sotheby's October 3 2017 Chinese Art

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A WHITE JADE ‘THREE RAMS’ Exquisitely modelled in the round, this carving
GROUP is outstanding for the tenderness of the subject
QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY that is captured in the interlocking gazes of the
rams, the strength of the larger body contrasting
modelled in the form of a recumbent ram with with the soft forms of the two small young rams
two young beside, each detailed with almond- nestled at its side. Compare ‘three rams’ carvings
shaped eyes, funnel-shaped ears and a pair of in a variety of similarly affectionate poses; one
striated horns, the larger, bearded animal with its also with a yinyang roundel, from the collection
head turned gently backwards, issuing streams of of Jean Casselman Wadds, was sold in our New
vaporous clouds supporting a yinyang roundel on York rooms, 17th/18th March 2015, lot 353;
its back, the stone of an even white tone flecked another, from the Tsui Museum of Art, was sold
with russet and darker mottling at Christie’s New York, 24th March 2011, lot 1462;
11.6 cm, 4½ in. and one, but with sprigs of lingzhi, was sold in
our Paris rooms, 23rd June 2016, lot 65. Further
HK$ 800,000-1,000,000 carvings of this subject, but lacking the yinyang
US$ 103,000-128,000 symbol and clouds, sold in our London rooms,
16th May 2007, lot 236, and again in these
清十八世紀 白玉三羊開泰擺件 rooms, 1st June 2017, lot 64;

The ram has a long history in China, first
appearing on Shang ritual bronzes and in the
form of bronze lamps and ceramic tomb figures
during the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220).
Small jade carvings of three reclining rams were
popular from the Song dynasty onwards, as the
theme of three rams, sanyang, was considered
particularly auspicious, evoking the expression
sanyangkaitai (‘the awakening of nature in
spring’) which signified good luck and happiness.
For an early depiction of this motif in jade, see
one attributed to the Song period, included in
the exhibition Chinese Jade Animals, Hong Kong
Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1996, cat. no. 90, and
sold in these rooms, 5th April 2017, lot 3321, from
the Chang Shou Studio.

424 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比