A pale green jade 'foreigner and groom' group, Early Qing dynasty

拍品描述

Chinese Jades from the Ralph Wanger Collection Height 3¾ in., 9.4 cm The present carving is notable for its extraordinary sculptural quality. From the creases in the horseman’s robes to his cap; from the turn of the horse’s head to the tension on the groom’s hands as he pulls on the bridle; from the decoration of the saddle to the hunting horn — each element of this carving has been closely observed with an infinitesimal attention to detail. Similar figural assemblages of this scale and quality are rare. Compare a related group depicting the more common scene of ‘washing the elephant’ in the Palace Museum, Beijing in Zhongguo meishu quanji. Gongyi meishu bian [Complete collection of Chinese art. Arts and crafts edition], vol. 9: yuqi [Jade], Beijing, 1991, pl. 309 and cover; and a group depicting a boy, ewe and lambs of similar quality and color also from the Dr. Ip Collection included in Chinese Jade Carving, Urban Council of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1983, cat. no. 177.

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