Page 74 - Chinese Jades Nov 30 2017 Hong Kong

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A YELLOW JADE ‘GEESE’ GROUP Sensuously fashioned in the round, the present carving
MING DYNASTY combines the craftsman’s creativity in liberating a naturalistic
charming subject from a pebble of attractive warm yellow
well worked with soft rounded contours, depicting a goose and
hue. It encapsulates an intimate moment where two geese
its young endearingly nuzzling each other, the larger goose lay adjacent to each other with their heads nestled upon each
rendered grasping in its beak a millet stem, the stone of an other’s backs.
attractive warm yellow colour highlighted with light russet
markings Such depiction of twin geese or birds was popular from the
Song through to the Qing dynasties, however, the combination
4.3 cm, 1⅝ in.
of distinct yet simple forms with freely incised detailing, as
HK$ 80,000-120,000 seen on the birds’ feathers, is reminiscent of naturalistic
US$ 10,300-15,400 carvings of animals in the Ming dynasty. A closely related
jade group of two mandarin ducks, also attributed to the Ming
dynasty, was sold in our rooms, 8th April 2013, lot 3220.
明 黃玉雙鵝
Compare also a grey jade carving of ducks, attributed to the
late Ming dynasty, sold at Christie’s London, 17th May 2013,
lot 1472.
Geese in China are closely associated with the calligrapher
Wang Xizhi (AD 303-361). Wang’s fondness for geese was
legendary and the story of him copying the Daoist classic
Daodejing for a priest in exchange for a white goose is well
known. The symbolic association of the goose with Wang,
coupled with the graceful form of this piece would have carried
a powerful meaning to its owner and to any member of the
literati class.

72 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比