Page 52 - 2019 September 13th Christie's New York Important Chinese Works of Art
P. 52
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT AMERICAN PRIVATE COLLECTION
830
THE JUNKUNC JADE DRAGON HEAD
AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE AND HIGHLY IMPORTANT PALE GREYISH-GREEN JADE
CARVING OF A DRAGON HEAD
TANG DYNASTY (AD 618-907)
The menacing dragon head is carved with open mouth exposing sharp teeth and curved fangs below a
pointed, upturned muzzle that pushes back against large round nostrils, thickly furrowed brows above
the eyes, and back-swept mane that ends in tight curls. A pair of long, ridged horns (one missing) lay back
against the top of the head. The underside is hollowed with a slanted rectangular trough and both sides
and the top are each pierced with a small circular hole. The softly polished jade of even pale grey-green
color has remnants of red pigment.
6Ω in. (16.5 cm.) long, stand
$2,500,000-3,500,000
PROVENANCE
Stephen Junkunc, III (1904-1978) Collection, acquired prior to 1958.
LITERATURE
A. Salmony, Chinese Jade Through the Wei Dynasty, New York, 1963,
pl. XXXI-2.
唐 青玉龍首
(another view)
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