A YELLOW AND RUSSET JADE MYTHICAL BEAST, SONG - MING DYNASTY

Collection of Stephen Junkunc, III (d. 1978).

來源

史蒂芬•瓊肯三世（1978年逝）收藏

This charming figure of a mythical beast has been skilfully carved to utilize the natural brown inclusions of the stone in a manner that enhances the animal's sense of vitality. Unlike the more typical exaggerated features of carvings of fantastic creatures of the Song and Ming periods, this figure assumes a naturalistic form akin to a dog, as seen in its softly formed paws and facial features. The bifurcated tail and exaggerated eyebrows are perhaps the only hints of its supernatural identity.

See a larger carving of a mythical creature, but with more archaistic features and a curled horn, in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, published in René-Yvon Lefebvre d'Argencé, Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection, San Francisco, 1977, pl. XXVIII; and another, but with body curled and archaistic C-shaped ears, included in the exhibition Chinese Jade Animals, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong, 1996, cat. no. 141, together with and a forward-facing reclining creature, from the Mr and Mrs Bull, Kirknorton and Hei-Chi collections, cat. no. 106. Compare also a figure of a reclining dog, but with head turned back, sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 25th November 1987, lot 438, illustrated in Robert Kleiner, Chinese Jades from the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, Hong Kong, 1996, pl. 38.

本品黃玉瑞獸，依玉材巧色雕琢，營造瑞獸神采，工法自然，瑞獸形像接近靈犬，獸爪柔順，表情祥和，獸尾分叉。

比較一相類例，尺寸較大，獨角，造型更接近高古風格，現藏於舊金山亞洲藝術博物館，載於René-Yvon Lefebvre d'Argencé，《Chinese Jades in the Avery Brundage Collection》，舊金山，1977年，圖版XXVIII；另一例獸身卷曲，耳呈C形，曾展於《中國肖生玉雕》，香港藝術館，香港，1996年，編號141，同展並包括一臥獸例，出自Bull伉儷、Kirknorton及熙墀收藏，編號106。另可比較一臥犬例，犬首回望，售於香港蘇富比1987年11月25日，編號438，載 Robert Kleiner，《Chinese Jades from the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman》，香港，1996年，圖版38。