AN EXCELLENT PALE CELADON AND RUSSET JADE CARVING OF A COCKEREL, WESTERN HAN DYNASTY

拍品描述

AN EXCELLENT PALE CELADON AND RUSSET JADE CARVING OF A COCKEREL, WESTERN HAN DYNASTY China, 206 BC-9 AD. Exquisitely carved, the bird is depicted standing on well-defined legs, its oblong body decorated with wings in high relief tucked neatly against the sides and extending into an upright, gently curved tail. The head is rendered with a pair of circular eyes, a small, curved beak, and is surmounted by a curling crest with reticulation. The finely polished, translucent stone is of an attractive pale celadon tone, suffused with russet inclusions and extensive opaque creamy-white mineral deposits. Dimensions: Height 6.8 cm The present bird-shaped carving bears witness to a tradition established during the Han dynasty and perpetuated over subsequent centuries, attracting particular prominence during the Song and Ming dynasties. Comparable avian carvings were bestowed as marks of honor and distinction upon men who had attained notable achievements or reached the age of seventy, thereby becoming recipients of heightened esteem and veneration within society. As recorded by Fan Ye in the History of the Later Han Dynasty, birds were chosen as emblems because of their reputed ability to digest all forms of sustenance with ease, a quality understood as a metaphor for the adaptability, resilience, and moral virtue expected of the recipient. Literature comparison: Compare a related jade carving of a bird, China, Han dynasty, 206 BC-AD 220, 6.1 cm long, in the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Asian Art, accession number S1987.746. Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Christie’s New York, 21 September 2023, lot 801 Price: USD 126,000 or approx. EUR 120,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related subject, and manner of carving. Note the different color of the stone and slightly larger size (8.6 cm).

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