Page 38 - Robert Youngman Collection Of Chinese Jade March 2019 Sotheby's

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A YELLOW JADE ‘QILIN’ CARVING
YUAN / MING DYNASTY
formed from an oval pebble, the body recumbent with the head turning to the left and the forepaws tucked beneath the jaw, the wide face set with
round eyes, pointed ears, a tapering beard, and a long horn extending down the neck and between the shoulders, the bifurcated tail wrapping around
the hips at each side, the swirls of qi emanating from the fur seamlessly blending with the wispy pattern of the cloud on which the animal rests, the
stone a pale yellowish-beige color with fine russet striations, wood stand (2)
元 / 明 黃玉雕麒麟把件
Length 2⅛ in., 5.4 cm
$ 15,000-20,000

PROVENANCE 來源
Collection of Dr. Isaac Newton. Isaac Newton 醫生收藏
Bluett & Sons, London. Bluett & Sons，倫敦
Weisbrod Chinese Art, Ltd., New York, 4th October Weisbrod Chinese Art, Ltd.，紐約，1982年10月4日
1982.
出版
LITERATURE 《Dr. Newton’s Zoo》，Bluett & Sons，倫敦，1981
Dr. Newton’s Zoo, Bluett & Sons, London, 1981, cat. no. 年，編號27，圖版III
27, col. pl. III.

This compact carving of a qilin has a remarkable sense of movement in the scrolling patterns covering its entire surface. The same rhythm
flows through the spiraling twists of the ears, the wave-like cadence of the fur, the coiling of the qi, and the eddies of the cloud, giving form
to the mythical creature’s innate energy, evident even when at rest, and the qilin’s harmony with the natural order. The subtly rounded edges
of these low-relief swirls further enliven the animal as they catch light at different angles and lead the eye on a winding path around the body.
The quality of the stone, the carving, and the overall coherence of the composition point to a Yuan / Ming dynasty attribution. Compare a
white and russet jade figure of a mythical beast sold in our London rooms, 15th December 1987, lot 12; a yellow and russet jade carving of a
coiled beast sold in those same rooms, 11th December 1984, lot 77; a white and russet jade carving of a tortoise-like mythical creature offered
at Christie’s New York, 4th June 1992, lot 5; a pale celadon and russet jade ‘geese’ group sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 7th October 2015,
lot 3654; and a white and russet jade carving of a chimera sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 1st June 2011, lot 3934.

36 SOTHEBY’S