† A LARGE GREEN JADE PIG-DRAGON, ZHULONG, LATE NEOLITHIC PERIOD, HONGSHAN CULTURE

拍品描述

† A LARGE GREEN JADE PIG-DRAGON, ZHULONG, LATE NEOLITHIC PERIOD, HONGSHAN CULTURE Expert’s note The present carving is one of the largest examples of its type known to date, among both public and private collections of Hongshan culture jade. Combined with the precision of its finely incised decoration and the attractive green tone of the jade, it ranks among the truly remarkable examples recorded. China, c. 4000-3000 BC. Of generous proportions, the pig-dragon is carved with a tightly coiled body and a boldly modeled head, delicately detailed with bulging eyes, a wrinkled snout, and flared nostrils. A narrow slit beneath the sealed lips extends toward, but stops short of, the central perforation, while a small aperture drilled through the nape serves for suspension. The well-polished, opaque stone is of a rich celadon tone, attractively variegated with extensive creamy-white mineral alteration and areas of dark mottling. Dimensions: Length 19.8 cm Notable for its exceptionally large size, this carving depicts a zhulong, or pig-dragon, a modern term that describes the animal’s upturned snout, prominent bulging eyes and coiled body. Considered to represent the prototype of depictions of mythological dragons in later Chinese art, zhulong are some of the most interesting creations of the enigmatic Hongshan culture, and evidence the existence of a complex system of belief in supernatural forces. Jade zhulong have been recovered at various tomb sites in Northern China, often placed on the chest of the tomb occupants, suggesting they were worn as chest ornaments. These carvings have been studied by Elizabeth Childs-Johnson in ‘Jades of the Hongshan Culture’, Arts Asiatiques, vol. XLVI, December 1991, pp. 82-95, where she identifies the territory of the Liaoxi and Liaodong peninsulas, and the upper and lower valleys of the Liao river as the areas where these Hongshan remains originated from. While the function of these carvings have not been determined with certainty, fragments of a zhulong have been recovered at a fertility temple complex in Niuheliang, Kezuo, Liaoning province, suggesting a connection with fertility rituals. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 November 2019, lot 2706 Price: HKD 6,125,000 or approx. EUR 775,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form, stone, and manner of carving. Note the smaller size (11.8 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 21 March 2019, lot 1180 Price: USD 2,295,000 or approx. EUR 2,650,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and manner of carving. Note the smaller size (13 cm). 13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer's premium - only for buyers within the EU.

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