Page 82 - Sotheby's New York Chinese Jade Auction September 13, 2018

PROPERTY FROM THE LIZZADRO COLLECTION
963
A RARE GREY AND RUSSET JADE SHELL-SHAPED PLAQUE The unusual decoration on this carving may represent the motifs
MING DYNASTY (1368-1644) for the Duanwu festival, the ffth day of the ffth lunar month,
considered the most poisonous day of the year. Many of the themes
The convex top is well carved as two tigers, their coats picked out in
the brown and opaque russet skin of the grey stone, shown walking in associated with the festival relate to the desire to combat evil forces
and poisonous creatures, in this case represented by a lizard, a
a landscape above a lower section carved in openwork with the ‘Five
Poisons’: a lizard, a centipede, a toad, a snake and a scorpion amidst centipede, a toad, a snake, and a scorpion. The two lions may refer
the scrolling stems of frond-like leaves. to the Daoist, Zhang Daoling, who is usually shown riding a yellow
3º in. (8.5 cm.) wide tiger while brandishing a sword to combat the ‘Five Poisons’. Here
the creatures are shown amidst leaves that may be that of sweet fag,
$7,000-9,000
one of the Five Auspicious Subjects (wurui), its sword-like leaves
representing a hand holding a sword to ward against evil vapors and
PROVENANCE poisonous insects during the Duanwu festival. According to Terese
Lizzadro Collection, Elmhurst, Illinois, acquired prior to 1960.
Tse Bartholomew in Later Chinese Jade: Ming Dynasty to Early
Twentieth Century, San Francisco, 2007, p. 248, during the Ming
dynasty, badges decorated with the ‘Five Poisons’ were worn by
offcials during the festival.
明 灰玉鏤雕「五毒」飾

80 FINE CHINESE JADE CARVINGS from Private Collections