A SMALL WHITE JADE PIG, HAN DYNASTY

拍品描述

A SMALL WHITE JADE PIG, HAN DYNASTY Expert’s note The unusually small scale of the present carving, measuring less than half the length of most comparable examples, suggests that it may originally have been carved for the burial of a child belonging to the imperial court or the highest ranks of the aristocracy. Its diminutive proportions would have allowed it to fit naturally within the closed hand of the deceased. China, 206 BC-AD 220. Boldly carved, of elongated form, the animal is depicted with a wrinkled snout, closed eyes, and gently sloping grooves defining the limbs folded beneath its recumbent body, transversely perforated through the back and belly for suspension. The finely polished, translucent stone is of a fine white hue, with cloudy inclusions and subtle traces of alteration from opaque mineral deposits. Dimensions: Length 4.5 cm Jade carvings of pigs rendered with bold angular cuts and in reclining poses were made throughout the Han and Six Dynasties period and form an important group of jade carvings that were used both in daily life and for burial. They were made in the so-called Han badao ('Han eight cuts') style, whereby the design is created by a small number of deep cuts. Although the function of these jade pigs remains a matter of speculation, numerous examples were found in burial sites, often held in the hands of the deceased. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 30 November 2021, lot 464 Price: HKD 189,000 or approx. EUR 23,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, modeling, manner of carving, and stone. Note the larger size (9.6 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 14 September 2019, lot 1338 Price: USD 40,000 or approx. EUR 45,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, modeling, manner of carving, and stone. Note the larger size (9.5 cm).

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