Ɏ † A FINE PALE CELADON JADE CARVING OF A CARP ON ITS MATCHING SILVER-INLAID ZITAN BASE, 18TH CENTURY

拍品描述

Ɏ † A FINE PALE CELADON JADE CARVING OF A CARP ON ITS MATCHING SILVER-INLAID ZITAN BASE, 18TH CENTURY Expert’s note Within this celebrated group of jade fish, represented both by the published comparanda cited below and by the recorded auction results, the present example is not only the largest, but also fully comparable in quality of carving and color of the stone to the closely related examples preserved in the Palace Museum, Beijing, and the National Palace Museum, Taipei. Beyond its exceptional provenance, the present jade is further distinguished by the survival of its original and matching zitan wood stand, preserved together with the jade for over 250 years. Such stands are exceedingly rare, and the extraordinary refinement of its openwork carving and exceptionally fine silver-wire inlays leave little doubt that it was produced by the Imperial Workshops in Beijing. The preservation of jade and original imperial stand as a complete ensemble considerably enhances the importance and rarity of the present work. China. Carved in the form of a swimming carp amid crashing waves, the body displays a prominent dorsal fin and fanlike tail, holding lotus blossoms in its mouth that trail gracefully along the flattened body, while further lotus leaves and flowers emerge from the swirling waves below. The semi-translucent stone is of an even pale celadon color with some milky white inclusions, faint russet veins, and a superb polish. The original and matching zitan wood stand has been preserved together with the jade for over 250 years. It is finely carved in openwork with waves and lotus plants that echo the decoration of the jade, and is supported on an openwork structure with four feet, neatly inlaid with fine silver wire that subtly follows the contours of the stand. (2) Dimensions: Length 22.8 cm (excl. stand) The fish is one of the earliest and most frequent subjects carved from jade, and acquired an important role in Chinese symbolism. In Daoism, fish represent freedom from restraint, while in Confucian thought they evoke the scholar succeeding in the imperial examinations. Because of its great reproductive power, the fish is also a symbol for marriage and many children, and the Chinese term for fish, yu, is homophonous with the word for abundance. Together with the lotus, he, in the present carp’s mouth, this provides a rebus for ‘harmony’ (he yu). The combination of fish and lotus was a popular decorative theme during the Song and Yuan dynasties and it experienced renewed popularity during the Ming and Qing dynasties. For a Song-dynasty prototype, see jade pendant in the Palace Museum, Beijing, reference number 故00094603. Literature comparison: Compare a related pale celadon and russet jade figure of a large fish with lotus, dated Qing dynasty, 24.5 cm long, in the Palace Museum, Beijing, reference number 故00090534. Compare a related pale celadon jade figure of a Chinese perch, dated Qing dynasty, 24 cm long, in the National Palace Museum, reference number 故玉000279N000000000. Compare also a closely related pale celadon jade fish, dated Ming dynasty, 27.5 cm long, illustrated in Robert P. Youngman, The Youngman Collection: Chinese Jades, from Neolithic to Qing, by, Art Media Resources, Chicago, 2008, front cover and p. 138, no. 136. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 26 November 2014, lot 3347 Price: HKD 1,000,000 or approx. EUR 144,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related modeling, manner of carving, stone, and subject. Note the much smaller size (16.5 cm) and missing base. 13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer's premium - only for buyers within the EU. This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.

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