Page 165 - Bonhams Asian Art London November 5, 2020

The imposing recumbent beast conveys at once both strength and Another aspect of the buffalo is its guardian function, stemming from
peacefulness. The sheer size and weight of the jade stone, the muscular the legend of the Emperor Yu of the Xia dynasty casting an iron ox
haunch, full rounded body, high back and the striking ribbed horns to subdue floods. This connection was most notably represented
exude power; the recumbent poise and countenance convey tranquillity. in the huge bronze ox commissioned by the Qianlong emperor in
1755 and placed gazing out over the Kunming Lake at the Summer
As a familiar beast of the fields, the buffalo underpinned rice Palace. Depicted in jade rather than bronze, with an eternally placid
production and the rural economy. As such it is emblematic of yet watchful expression, the present lot surely also observes and
agriculture and spring time, and represents strength, endurance, protects its owner.
dedication to hard work, prosperity and tranquillity. It is also used in
artistic representation, in particular in Chinese paintings, to evoke a Compare with a slightly smaller mottled dark green and grey jade
bucolic, idealised existence in the countryside. This in turn feeds into buffalo, 17th century, which was sold at Christie’s New York, 21 March
a more mythical or spiritual side to the buffalo, recalling both Buddhist 2019, lot 1172.
and Daoist concerns with simplicity and retreat, and the founder of
Daoism, the philosopher Laozi, who departed from the borders of the
known world on a buffalo.