A WHITE AND RUSSET JADE HORSE

细节

A WHITE AND RUSSET JADE HORSE
SONG DYNASTY

The recumbent horse carved in the round with head forward and resting
on two outstretched forelegs, the mane lightly incised, the underside deeply carved and with the tail tucked between the two back legs, the stone predominantly of pale celadon tone with extensive flecked russet inclusions and a mottled polish
5in. (12.7cm.) long, box

出版

Wu Hung, 'Tradition and Innovation, Ancient Chinese Jades in the Gerald Godfrey Collection', fig. 7

展览

Pacific Asia Museum, 1986, Catalogue, no. 146
San Antonio Museum of Art, 1986
The Dayton Art Institute, 1989, no. 84
Palm Springs Desert Museum, 1990, Catalogue, no. 84

拍品专文

This docile horse is carved in a rarely seen stretched position similar to that recorded in a line drawing illustrating one of the five-coloured horses of the Tang dynasty emperor Xuanzong in Gu Yu Tu (reproduced in Shuo Yu p. 611) The very fine naturalistic carving is consistent with a Song dating. Morgan illustrates a similar horse in Dr Newton's Zoo Catalogue, no. 47, and describes the stone as "opaque grey, mottled with brownish striations, the surface slightly pitted" a description which also applies to the present lot. Further both carvings have similar rounded haunches and the same treatment of the incised mane "falling evenly to either side with a central parting".

Watt Chinese Jade from Han to Ch'ing, no. 65 illustrates a similar horse on a slab in the Victor Shaw Collection which he dates to the Tang dynasty. Another example is in the McElney Collection illustrated in Jades from China, no. 232, where the author draws five parallels with Southern Song paintings and Spirit Road Sculptures.