Page 139 - Bonhams, Fine Chinese Art, London November 3, 2022
P. 139
Notable for the even, semi-translucent tone of the jade and the The pomegranate is a familiar symbol of fertility, and together with
technical precision in the carving of the two halves of the boxes fitting the finger citron and the peach, it is one of the Three Abundances.
precisely, the present boxes display the highest standard achieved in The depiction of a pomegranate at the point of splitting open, as
jade carving during the eighteenth century. in the present lot, is described as liukai baizi (榴開百子), meaning
‘pomegranate revealing one hundred sons’. The finger citron fruit is
The carved decoration on the present boxes was designed to known as Buddha’s hand because of the likeness drawn between the
emphasise the quality of the stone, with the actual body left smooth long tendrils and Buddha’s fingers in typical hand gestures.
and plain, and the covers decorated with designs of a pomegranate
and a finger citron in shallow relief. Compare with a similar white jade ‘pomegranate’ box and cover,
18th/19th century, which was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 30 May
2022, lot 2918. A similar white jade ‘finger citron’ box and cover, 18th
century, was sold at Christie’s New York, 15 September 2017, lot
1023.
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