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A WHITE JADE ‘HORSE AND MONKEY’ CARVING
18TH CENTURY

The horse is carved recumbent with its head turned backwards to face the monkey which is seated upon
its back. The monkey is playfully carved with one hand holding the horse’s reins and the other scratching
its ear. The piece is of an even pale tone with minor white inclusions.
3¬ in. (9.3 cm.) wide

£15,000-20,000 $22,000-28,000
€19,000-25,000

PROVENANCE:

Acquired by the Hon. Mrs. Clive Behrens’ son, Jack Behrens, in Asia prior to 1934.

The depiction of a monkey upon a horse’s back represents the rebus ‘Ma shang feng hou’ which may be
translated as ‘May you receive a swift promotion to a high rank of ofice’. This popular motif was would
have been used to confer good wishes to those hoping to advance quickly into oficialdom.

A similar jade group dating to the Qianlong period is found in the Palace Collection in Beijing and is
illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Jadeware (III), Hong Kong,
1995, p. 111, plate 91.

清十八世紀 白玉馬上封侯

來源: 英國貴族Hon. Mrs. Clive Behrens (Hon. Evelina Rothschild)私人珍藏，由
Hon. Mrs. Clive Behrens之子Jack Behrens先生於1934年前購自亞洲

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