Neolithic Hongshan Culture Chicken-Bone White Jade Pig-Dragon, circa 4700–2900 BCE

拍品描述

Dimensions: Height 6 cm (2.36 in / 0.20 ft); Width 4.5 cm (1.77 in / 0.15 ft); Neolithic Period, Hongshan Culture，Weight: 78 g (approx. 2.75 oz)，Condition & Provenance: The artifact is preserved intact overall, with no apparent chips, losses, or restoration. The jade is extensively calcified, presenting a dense chicken-bone-white surface with scattered ochre, tan, and gray-brown areas and a network of fine weathering fissures. The compact C-shaped body remains clearly articulated, with prominent upright ears, raised oval eyes, a projecting snout, and shallow incised facial details. A characteristic opening separates the head from the coiled body. A lateral suspension aperture passes through the body and preserves visible rotational and abrasive working traces along the interior. The contours are broadly rounded and softly finished, giving the carving a substantial and tactile sculptural quality. Provenance: Longstanding Private Collection, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Acquired from an Asian art gallery in Toronto in 1992 and subsequently retained in the same family collection for more than thirty years; accompanied by collection documentation.Description: Carved from a single substantial piece of jade, this compact pig-dragon is conceived in the tightly coiled C-shaped form closely associated with Hongshan jade traditions. Measuring 6 cm in height and weighing 78 grams, the carving possesses an impressive sense of density and physical presence for its relatively small scale. The animal curls inward to form an almost continuous ring, interrupted by the distinctive opening between the head and lower body. The head dominates the composition and gives the piece much of its sculptural personality. Broad upright ears rise prominently from the crown, while large oval eyes are emphasized by shallow incised outlines. The short, powerful snout projects forward and is articulated with parallel linear details. Rather than relying on elaborate ornament, the carving achieves its visual effect through bold massing, rounded planes, restrained incision, and strongly controlled silhouette. Viewed in profile, the thick tubular body transitions smoothly from the head into the sweeping curve of the back. The softly rounded surfaces and absence of sharp angular transitions create a cohesive sculptural form. A drilled suspension aperture positioned along the flank indicates that the object was conceived to be suspended or worn, while visible working traces within the bore provide additional evidence of the techniques employed in shaping the piece. The surface is particularly distinctive. Pale ivory and chicken-bone-white tones dominate the carving, punctuated by irregular ochre, tan, and darker mineral-colored areas. Fine interconnected fissures extend across the surface, with darker deposits settling into recessed lines, around the facial features, and within the suspension opening. These contrasting passages give considerable visual depth to an otherwise deliberately restrained form. Pig-dragon ornaments rank among the most recognizable objects associated with Hongshan jade traditions. Their compact circular bodies, prominent animal heads, and suspension holes have made them central to discussions of prehistoric ritual practice, personal ornament, status, and the formative development of dragon imagery in early China. This example is especially appealing for its substantial 78-gram weight, strongly modeled head, balanced C-shaped silhouette, and richly varied surface. Combining monumental conception with portable scale, the piece presents the powerful simplicity that has made Hongshan-style pig-dragon carvings among the most distinctive forms in the history of early Chinese jade.

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