Page 98 - 2020 Nov 30 Christie's Hong Kong Scholars Art Of China

THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN THE PROPERTY OF A GENTLEMAN
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A PALE CELADON JADE ‘RAMS’ GROUP A RARE LARGE GREYISH JADE CARVING OF A
QIANLONG PERIOD (1736-1795) HORSE
The stone is carved in the round as two rams reclining YUAN DYNASTY (1279-1368)
against each other, both with grooved horns and feet tucked The impressive horse is finely carved in a recumbent position
underneath the bodies, one ram grasping a lingzhi twig in its with head slightly raised, with all four legs tucked underneath
mouth. The material is of an opaque greenish-white tone with the body. The mane falls on both sides of the neck behind
russet streaks. the forward-pricked ears, and the long tail is flicked to one
4 3/16 in. (10.6 cm.) wide, wood stand side. The stone is of mottled dark and pale greyish tones with
concentrated areas of russet inclusions.
HK$300,000-500,000 US$39,000-65,000 7 ⅞ in. (20 cm.) long, box
The superb quality of carving seen in the present group reflects the
high degree of workmanship employed by craftsman of the Qianlong HK$2,000,000-3,000,000 US$260,000-390,000
period. The present group is also notable for the auspicious wishes The realistic modelling of the present jade with its finely executed
conveyed through the subject matter. The ram is a symbol of filial piety, mane, striated long tail and modest physique would suggest a
and is often shown in groups of three, known as sanyang, which are Mongolian pony. A similarly carved jade horse discovered in a Jin
related both to the sun and to male children, and symbolize the opening period site (13th-14th century) in Heilongjiang province, was mentioned
up of the new growth in spring, which in turn symbolizes happiness and by J. Rawson, Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, London, 1995
good fortune. The lingzhi held in the mouths of the rams represents a p. 372, and a rubbing of which is illustrated as fig. 1.
wish for longevity and immortality.

清乾隆 青白玉洋洋如意擺件 元 灰玉臥馬擺件
本玉馬四肢短壯，鬃毛飄逸，尾巴修長，帶有蒙古馬之特徵。比較一件
相似的金代玉馬，發掘於黑龍江省，見Rawson著《Chinese Jade from
the Neolithic to the Qing》，倫敦，1995年，頁371，圖1拓本。

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