Page 153 - Sotheby's May 10th 2017 London Important Chinese Art

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A WHITE JADE ‘PHOENIX AND QILIN’ 287
CARVING
QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY A WHITE JADE PLAQUE
QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY
depicted recumbent with legs tucked beneath both bodies
and heads slightly tilted toward each other, the qilin’s tail nely carved to the front face with a panel enclosing a dragon
swept over its haunch to form a compact composition while its amid cloud swirls above a tiger perched on a large craggy
muscular body is articulated by a prominent spine de ned with rock, the reverse inscribed with four seal characters reading
longyin huxiao (dragons sing and tigers roar), pierced at the
nely incised hairs, the phoenix’s plumage detailed wings are top for suspension, the stone of an even white tone
folded along its sides while its long feathered tail curls against 6 cm, 2⅜ in.
the qilin, the white stone highlighted with natural brown and
white inclusions on the qilin’s body and the phoenix’ tail £ 10,000-15,000
12 cm, 4¾ in. HK$ 96,500-145,000 US$ 12,500-18,700

The phoenix and qilin depicted in this carving depict two of the
‘Four Benevolent Creatures’, which is further comprised of the
dragon and tortoise. They feature in an old Chinese saying,
‘When the world was born, the phoenix led all winged animals,
the qilin ruled all terrestrial beasts; both the rst of these
species’.

Carvings of a phoenix and qilin are rare and the carver of the
present piece has cleverly utilised the long triangular-shaped
pebble to fashion a highly auspicious piece. While jade carvings
of separate phoenix and qilin abound, and porcelain dishes
were frequently found decorated with a qilin and bird ying
above, combined carvings such as the present are highly
unusual.

£ 20,000-25,000
HK$ 193,000-242,000 US$ 24,900-31,100

IMPORTANT CHINESE ART 151