Page 30 - Sothebys Fine Chinese Art London, November 2018

An Appreciation of A Qianlong-Era

Monumental Spinach-Green Jade Washer

Dr. Xu Lin, The Palace Museum, Beijing

This monumental spinach-green jade washer measures 50 cm in The washer was included by the British author and major jade
width at its widest point and 12.8 cm in height. Its mouth is 34.8 collector, Stanley Charles Nott (1902-1969) in his 1936 book
cm in diameter, and its base is 25.2 cm in diameter. Generously Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages (fig. 2) . Equally dedicated to
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proportioned, the washer is carved from Khotan jade of a relatively research and collecting, Nott can be regarded as one of the first
dark colour. It has a reflective polished surface and a round base. Its Western scholars to study the culture of Chinese jades and to
bottom is plain and without decorative patterns. It has a relatively develop a profound passion for them. Already in 1927, he began
deep base, and is carved with two large beast-head handles with publishing books about Chinese jades, including both academic
freely-moving rings. Protruding above the washer’s body, each beast studies and illustrated catalogues. These publications documented
head has a single horn, a pair of ears, round eyes, a large nose, a large works that had left China and were also testaments to Nott’s
mouth, and eyebrows and cheeks that extend sideward onto the rim research on the historical development and craft of Chinese jades.
of the washer’s mouth as curled cloud patterns. The rings of the
Compared to similar works currently in the Palace Museum
handles were carved in openwork from the same piece of raw jade
collection, the present washer, which measures 50 cm at its widest
as the washer’s body. Beneath the rim, on the other sides, are four
point, is exceptionally large. Jade washers of such monumental
additional smaller beast-head handles of the same design, also with
proportions are very rare, and necessitated the use of a large
freely-moving rings carved in openwork. The small and large beast-
amount of raw jade. Although relatively dark-coloured, the jade
head handles echo one another in this rare work of art.
has an extremely rich and “fatty” lustre, one of the distinctive
This washer was exhibited in the International Exhibition of Chinese characteristics of spinach-green jade harvested from the Khotan
Art, held at the Royal Academy of Arts in London from November region by the imperial court during the mid-Qing period.
1935 to March 1936, and was included in the accompanying
Such a large jade washer would have been nearly impossible during the
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exhibition catalogue (fig. 1) . This exhibition included not only works
Kangxi and early Qianlong periods, during which the jade-producing
sent by the Chinese government from the Palace Museum, but also
areas of Khotan and Yarkent were occupied by the Dzungars and could
works from many public and private organisations and collections
not be easily accessed. The imperial court resorted to repurposing jades
around the world. A total of 3080 works were shown. Impressive in
from past dynasties or using raw jade sent as tribute or smuggled. Thus
scale, the exhibition was the most extensive international presentation
these early periods produced almost no large works. The Yongzheng
of Chinese art and provided Europeans a rare opportunity to gain a
Emperor even ordered his ministers in the 10 year of his reign (1732)
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comprehensive understanding of Chinese art. The jade expert Oscar
to “find some good raw jade and bring it here”. In the 15 year of the
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Raphael was responsible for curating the jade exhibits . The present
Qianlong reign (1750), the court was still refashioning jade belts of the
jade washer was selected from a British private collection.
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Ming dynasty, indicating a severe material shortage. In the 24 year
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