Page 30 - Art D'Asie June 22, 2017 Paris

130
ANCIENNE COLLECTION PARTICULIÈRE FRANÇAISE
SCEAU EN JADE CÉLADON PÂLE
DYNASTIE QING, PREMIÈRE MOITIÉ DU
XVIIIE SIÈCLE
de forme carrée, le dessus puissamment sculpté de deux
chilong sinueux a rontés, le dessous incisé de neuf caractères cub. Delicately modelled in the round, the detailed and sinuous
archaïsants Zhong Xiao Jie Yi Baixing zhi guanmian, la pierre
au doux poli et d’une couleur céladon pâle uniforme avec
quelques légères inclusions noires au dessous
5 x 5,9 x 5,7 cm, 2 by 2¼ by 2¼ in.
A rare pale celadon jade seal, Qing Dynasty, rst half of
the 18th century
50 000-70 000 €
424 000-595 000 HK$ 54 500-76 500 US$
Fig. 1
Fig. 2, An Imperial white jade Yongzheng Yubi Zhi Bao Fig. 3, An Imperial white jade Xiumu Jiayin seal Qing
seal Qing Dynasty, Yongzheng Period Dynasty, Jiaqing Period
28 SOTHEBY’S
This pale celadon jade seal was discovered in a French private
collection where it was hidden for many years. Its base is
carved with nine characters which may be translated as
follows: ‘Loyalty, Filial Piety, Dignity, Righteousness, guide
people in all their behaviors’ (Fig. 1).
Our seal depicts in an archaic style a chilong dragon and its
forms of these mythical creatures contrast with the angularity
of the seal. However, this is a common shape for knobs of
imperial seals since the First Emperor’s Seal of Transmission
of the Realm.
We can compare the shape and composition of our seal to the
rare Imperial white jade ‘Yongzheng Yubi Zhi Bao’ seal sold at
Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7th April 2015, lot 102, which depicts
as well a square form seal with thick sides surmounted by a
ferocious chilong with a well-de ned muscular body and brushy
tail but surrounded with 8 smaller chilong (Fig. 2).
We can also correlate our seal shape to the Imperial white jade
‘Xiumu Jiayin’ seal, Qing Dynasty, Jiaqing period, of slightly
bigger size, sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 8th October 2013, lot
3071. The chilong and its cub are powerfully carved in the same
face to face position, on a very similar square base (Fig. 3).
This chilong and cubs design can be found on many other
Imperial seals such as the ‘You Ri Zi Zi’ spinach-green jade seal
sold at Sotheby’s, Hong Kong, 8th October 2008, lot 2008.
Without a doubt, our seal has all the esthetical criteria and this
smooth and powerful carving to be compared in quality and
appearance with the Imperial seals described above.