Page 142 - Sotheby's Arcadian beauty Song Pottery Oct. 3, 2018

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AN EXCEPTIONALLY LARGE 宋 玉臥牛
AND RARE INSCRIBED JADE 《丙寅仲春》、《御題》款

FIGURE OF A BUFFALO 「乾隆宸翰」、「信天主人」印
SONG DYNASTY, THE 來源：

INSCRIPTION DATED TO Natasha du Breuil （1891-1966年）收藏，1930-40年代蒐集於
北京與天津，此後家族傳承
THE BINGYIN YEAR OF THE 倫敦佳士得2003年11月11日，編號65

QIANLONG PERIOD (IN
ACCORDANCE WITH 1746)

miniminally worked to conform to the natural contours of
the impressively substantial boulder, depicting a recumbent
buffalo with its head turned to its left to face backwards and
a tail tucked under its hind leg, the beast marked with subtle
rounded outlines forming the muscular body and further
rendered with a pair of small furled ears and long curved
horns, the underside of the boulder incised and filled in with
gilt with a fourteen-character inscription translating as ‘The
spirit of Chou (buffalo) provides the foundation for food,
brings joy to tens of thousands of people, and forms the
basis of the harvest year by year’, dated to the bingyin year
of the Qianlong reign (in accordance with 1746) and followed
by two seal marks reading Qianlong chenhan (‘the Qianlong
Emperor’s literary and artistic work’) and Xintian Zhuren
(‘ruler who believes in Heaven’), the variegated yellowish-
celadon stone extensively mottled with reddish-brown and
black patches
40 cm, 15¾ in.
PROVENANCE
Collection of Natasha du Breuil (1891-1966), assembled in
Beijing and Tianjin in the 1930s and 1940s, and thence by
descent.
Christie’s London, 11th November 2003, lot 65.

HK$ 15,000,000-20,000,000
US$ 1,920,000-2,550,000

140 SOTHEBY’S 蘇富比