Page 77 - Christies IMportant Chinese Art Sept 26 2020 NYC

the head. The inclusion of a foreigner is very unusual, and illustrates elephant, but the vase is empty, unlike the vase in the Irving carving
a high degree of characterization and individuality in the carving. A which contains auspicious Rohdea japonica. Two further examples of
related depiction of a foreigner, with a similar head-band and beard, white jade ‘elephant’ carvings are illustrated in A Romance with Jade
but shown riding an elephant, can be seen on a grey and black jade From the De An Tang Collection, Beijing, 2004, p. 142, no. 83 (without
carving dated to the Yuan dynasty, and illustrated by T. Fok, The boys but with a large ring-handled vase) and p. 149, no. 89 (with two
Splendour of Jade. The Songzhutang Collection of Jade, Hong Kong, boys and a small vase).
2011, p. 92, no. 82.
The elephant is also associated with Buddhism, and the Buddhist
The Irving jade carving also incorporates such details as a ruyi scepter deity Samantabhadra is shown riding an elephant. The white
and a flowering spray (probably peony) held by the bearded foreigner. elephant in particular recalls the birth legend of the historical Buddha,
The ruyi scepter represents wishes for good fortune, and the peony Siddartha Gautama: his mother Queen Maya did not have children for
represents wealth and prosperity. The addition of the vase on the back twenty years, but one night the queen had a vivid dream in which a
of the elephant expresses the wish for peace, Taiping youxiang. During white elephant appeared to her, and she later gave birth to Siddartha
the Qing dynasty, real elephants with vases on their backs appeared Gautama. In the present carving, the use of such high-quality white
in processions to celebrate the birthday of the emperor. Although the stone to depict an elephant may be a specific reference to this
motif of the elephant, combined with boys and a vase was popular in Buddhist legend. The Qianlong Emperor was a strong supporter of
jade carvings, it is very unusual to find so many auspicious symbols Buddhism, and his mother the Dowager Empress Chongqing was a
incorporated into a single carving. The leafy fronds and fruits which particularly devout Buddhist.
issue from the vase held by the two boys may be identified as Rohdea
japonica, an evergreen plant native to East Asia which is also known The Irvings are well-known for their superb collection of jade
as the ‘sacred lily’ or wan nian qing in Chinese. The Chinese name can carvings. A large and finely carved white jade ‘luohan’ boulder,
be translated as “may the New Year bring a revival of ten thousand depicting a recumbent elephant next to a Buddhist monk within a
things”, expressing hopes for a new beginning at the start of a New cave setting, also from the collection of Florence and Herbert Irving,
Year. sold at Christie’s New York, 20 March 2019, lot 823.
For a white jade carving of an elephant and boys with a vase, see
Zhongguo Yuqi Quanji, vol. 6, Beijing, 1991, p. 187, pl. 270. In this
example, the boys flank the vase which sits on the back of the

(detail)