English
中文
Bottle ID: 298
CARVED AS A TROTTING SOW
Date: 1750-1800
Height: 52 mm
Nephrite, white, well hollowed and carved in the form of a plump trotting sow, one hoof raised and with her tail curled around her hindquarters, the belly with small udders.
Similar Examples:
Crane Collection nos. 375, 452, 461 and 470
Lawrence, Clare. Miniature Masterpieces from the Middle Kingdom - The Monimar Collection of Chinese Snuff Bottles, 1996, p. 157, no. 72.195.
Moss, Hugh, Victor Graham and Ka Bo Tsang. A Treasury of Chinese Snuff Bottles - The Mary and George Bloch Collection, 1995, Vol. 1, pp. 110-111, no. 43.
Christie's, New York, March 19, 2008, lot 202, The Meriem Collection, Part II.
Provenance:
Clare Lawrence Ltd.
The Kenneth Hark Collection, Florida
Nephrite has been used extensively from earliest times in China, mostly sourced from central Asia. Early Chinese writings illustrate the noble and pure qualities that were implicitly attached to jade, so much so that nephrite was used in both burial and ceremonial rituals. Even later, during the Han period when jade became less obscure and the techniques for working it became more skilled, ritual usage still remained whilst the use of nephrite for art objects began to emerge. Three dimensional animal form sculptures were part of this fascinating development and whilst most are datable later than the Han Period, tradition remained the motivating force behind their design. Rare depictions of jade pigs used as grave ornaments from the eastern Han Period are entirely different in form from the eighteenth century pig, like the example shown here which is essentially linear in concept. The purpose of jade as a tomb object was connected to a belief that it had preserving qualities for the body, and pigs have been found held in the palms of the corpse. However, this period represents the last era when jade was used for its quasi-magical properties and pigs from that time must be regarded as late archaic rather than as zoomorphic, as is the case here.
< Back to full list