SONG-MING DYNASTY (AD 960-1644)

Details

A WHITE JADE 'EAGLE AND DOG' GROUP
SONG-MING DYNASTY (AD 960-1644)
The group is carved as an eagle with outspread wings perched on top of a crouching dog with back-turned head, with the talons of the eagle's left foot sunk into the muzzle of the dog. The even white stone has a few areas of russet.
2 3/8 in. (6.1 cm.) long, cloth box

Provenance

Professor Cheng Te-k'un (1908-2001), The Mu-Fei Collection, Cambridge, England.
Bluett & Sons, London, 31 December 1990.
The LJZ Collection, United States.

Literature

J. Ayers and J. Rawson, "Chinese Jade throughout the Ages," Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society, London, vol. 40, 1975, no. 238.
J. C. Y. Watt, Chinese Jades from Han to Ch'ing, New York, 1980, p. 48, no. 21.
B. Morgan and Wu Hung, Chinese Jades from the Mu-Fei Collection, London, 1990, no. 42.
A. Carter, The LJZ Collection of Chinese Jades, London, 2022, pp. 32-33, no. 11.

Exhibited

London, Victoria & Albert Museum, Chinese Jade throughout the Ages, 1 May-22 June 1975.
New York, Asia House Gallery, Chinese Jades from Han to Ch'ing, Fall 1980.
London, Bluett & Sons Ltd., Chinese Jades from the Mu-Fei Collection, 1990.

Conditions of sale

Brought to you by

Vicki Paloympis (潘薇琦) Head of Department, VP, Specialist

asianartny@christies.com +1 212 636 2180

Lot Essay

The Chinese word for ‘eagle’ (ying) and the one for ‘bear’ (xiong) together form a rebus for the word ‘hero’ (yingxiong). This subject was a popular theme depicted in jade carvings (see lot 831 in the current sale), and would have been an appropriate gift for someone serving in the military. The present carving, which features an eagle attacking a dog, may represent a variation or play on the eagle and bear pairing.

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