A DARK BROWN JADE TONGUE AMULET IN THE FORM OF A CICADA, HAN DYNASTY

拍品描述

A DARK BROWN JADE TONGUE AMULET IN THE FORM OF A CICADA, HAN DYNASTY China, 206 BC-AD 220. Of flattened form, skillfully carved as a stylized cicada with projecting eyes and elongated wings folded closely against the body, defined by delicately incised grooves. The finely polished, opaque stone is of a mottled reddish-brown hue with dark veining and natural inclusions. Dimensions: Length 8 cm The unusually long-life cycle of the cicada made this insect a prominent motif in ancient Chinese jade carving, where it symbolized rebirth and immortality. Jade was believed to possess protective properties capable of preserving the body from natural decay after death. During the Han dynasty, the nine bodily orifices of the deceased were ritually sealed with jade: a jade cicada was placed on the tongue, jade plaques covered the eyes, and jade plugs were inserted into the nostrils and ears. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related jade carving of a cicada, China, Han dynasty, 206 BC-AD 220, 5.4 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 30.120.135. Compare a closely related jade tongue amulet in the form of a cicada, China, Han dynasty, 206 BC-AD 220, 5.1 cm high, in the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Asian Art, accession number F1914.102. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 1 June 2011, lot 3937 Price: HKD 87,500 or approx. EUR 14,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, and manner of carving. Note the different color of the stone and smaller size (5.3 cm).

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