西漢 青白玉立象

skilfully worked in the round as an Asian elephant standing foursquare on its short legs with its long trunk curled to its left and its tail swished to its right, the animal depicted with characteristic dorsal bumps flanked by floppy ears, the corpulent body rendered gravitating towards the ground and delicately detailed with incisions to depict folds of wrinkles, the lustrous pale celadon-tinged white stone with calcified buff areas

熙墀收藏

姜濤及劉雲輝，《熙墀藏玉》，北京，2006年，頁116

Apart from small nicks to the underside of the feet and other insignificant surface wear, the figure is in good condition with some areas of calcification.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

青白玉質，有沁斑，隨形圓雕立象。象細目大耳，長鼻後捲，短腿垂腹，神情安然，憨態可掬。

商代的中原地區氣候溫暖濕潤，為大象提供了適宜的居住環境。安陽殷墟遺址出土大量象牙、象骨等遺存，表明商代王室貴族早將大象用於祭祀犧牲。《呂氏春秋》有商人馴象的記錄：「商人服象，為虐於東夷。周公遂以師逐之，至於江南」。婦好墓曾出土兩件圓雕玉象，長6-6.5公分，高3-3.3公分，鼻上捲，嘴微啟，臣字目，雙耳貼肩，通身飾雙陰線紋，見《中國古青銅器選》，北京，1976年，圖版91。

考古出土尚未見漢代玉象圓雕，但有鎏金銅象的標本。一為河南偃師寇店鄉李家村東漢窖藏出土的四件鎏金小銅象，見南京博物院、盱眙縣文廣新局，＜江蘇盱眙縣大雲山西漢江都王陵一號墓＞，《考古》，北京，2013年10期，頁36，圖57:1，長4.2公分，高3.5公分，小巧盈握，造型精準，與其他尺寸相近的鎏金銅馬、牛、鹿等小動物置放在銅尊中。另一例是近年發掘的江蘇盱眙大雲山西漢江都王劉非（漢武帝劉徹同父異母的兄弟）墓出土的鎏金銅象，長30.5公分，高20公分。其雙目圓睜，大耳後掠，長鼻往下內捲，尾垂偏左；除象牙鎏銀外，通體光素，僅象鼻、頸背，四肢處以長短不一的陰刻線表現皮膚的褶皺紋理。這些簡潔的線條裝飾手法，沿用至明代石雕藝術中，如南京明孝陵神道的石象雕塑仍保持相同風格。