Page 101 - Sotheby's New York Chinese Jade Auction September 13, 2018
P. 101
PROPERTY FROM THE LIZZADRO COLLECTION
988
A WHITE JADE RECTANGULAR PLAQUE
18TH-19TH CENTURY
One side is carved in low relief with Ni Zan watching two boys cleaning a wutong tree, and
the reverse is carved with Lin Bu pointing at a crane in fight above as a boy chases it, all below
confronted dragons at the top. The semi-translucent stone is of even white color.
2¿ in. (5.3 cm.) high
$12,000-18,000
PROVENANCE
Lizzadro Collection, Elmhurst, Illinois, acquired prior to 1960.
The scenes carved on the present plaque depict two historical fgures Ni Zan (1301-1374) and
Lin Bu (967-1028) respectively.
Ni Zan is a famous Yuan-dynasty painter known for his love of nature, particularly wutong
trees. Legend relates that when a guest of his spat on his beloved wutong tree, he had his
attendant clean the tree after the guest’s departure.
Lin Bu was a poet who lived as a recluse near Hangzhou’s West Lake. Never offcially married,
he was known for claiming plum tree as his wife and crane as his children. Every morning, he
would release the cranes from their cages, and every evening they would return to him.
清十八/十九世紀 白玉洗桐放鶴圖牌
(two views)
99
