Lot 131C
East Asia, China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. A hand-carved jade (nephrite) ornament representing a mythical feline dragon with gilded copper leaf adorning the head and a lovely fine-line sinuous passage of gold leaf with extending spirals over the body. Given the refined details and the dynamic rhythm of the composition, it is clear that the creator this piece had a tremendous level of skill. Note the elaborate calligraphic style and the suggested movement of the dragon's serpentine form. The dragon gracefully swirls and circles upon itself in a dance-like fashion. At the same time, the creature looks as if it is about to bite its tail - demonstrating its fierce nature. In addition to its artistry and iconography, the jade itself is inherently beautiful, boasting sage green hues and marvelous translucency when held to the light. Size: 3.5" W x 1.5" H (8.9 cm x 3.8 cm)
During the Han dynasty, jade symbolized wealth and elite class as well as respected virtues. Accessories like this example were created to be pendants or attachments for clothing. Jade carved into dragon shapes that simultaneously possessed tiger-like attributes like this example were also used to decorate jade bi discs, stamps, and swords.
Chinese art has incorporated jade since the Neolithic period; quarries for nephrite, the formal name for one type of jade, have been found in modern-day southern Mongolia that date to ca. 4000 BCE. The stone was prized for its hardness, its beautiful coloration, and its durability. By the third millennium BCE, we know that jade had also come to be associated with immortality. Despite its hardness - a testament to the craftsmanship of early Chinese artisans - jade was used to make everything from everyday household objects and decoration to the ceremonial suits in which Han dynasty emperors were buried with the belief that jade would preserve the body and the soul for eternity.
Provenance: private New Jersey, USA collection
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#144590
- Condition: Minor surface wear with some areas of abrasion as shown and slight gilt copper losses, but most of this detail remains.
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