Page 112 - Chinese Works of Art Bonhams Sept 2015

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8126 8127
A PAIR OF FINE WHITE AND RUSSET A YELLOW AND RUSSET JADE CARVING
JADE RECUMBENT SHEEP OF A DEER
Republic period 18th century
The recumbent animal with head turned
The ram depicted with curving horns and towards the tail, incised along the neck
issuing from its mouth a curling stream of vapor and shoulder to suggest hair, and with
that surrounds a yin/yang roundel, the young horns carved as stylized lingzhi, the opaque
ewe with ears pointed forward holding a long greenish-yellow stone with a russet patch
branch of lingzhi fungus in her mouth, the details along the left shoulder.
delicately engraved and surfaces polished to a 3in (7.6cm) long
subtle luster, the stone on both beasts of off- $6,000 - 9,000
white with golden-russet patches; the fitted wood
stands reticulated as intertwined lingzhi branches. 十八世紀 褐斑黃玉鹿形擺件
4in (10cm) length of each animal
$15,000 - 25,000

民國 褐斑白玉羊形擺件

8127 The present pair are an unusual depiction of
a popular animal: the goat, sheep or ram, 羊
110 | BONHAMS yang, is more often presented as a group of
three, but here are two separate animals which
are clearly recognizable as a ram and ewe.

The Chinese name 羊 yang is a homophone
for 陽 yang, representing the male principle
or positive force, and the breath of life
returning with the spring. These ideas are
cleverly conveyed and developed by the yin/
yang symbol on the back of the ram, and
by the inclusion of a ewe, mirroring the male
ram, suggestive of fertility and hence the
continuous renewal of life.