CHINESE CELADON JADE CARVED MYTHICAL BEAST PENDANT - QING DYNASTY OR LATER

OVERVIEW:
A FINELY CARVED CELADON JADE PENDANT DEPICTING A MYTHICAL BEAST IN THE CLASSICAL CHINESE TRADITION, RENDERED IN PALE GREENISH-WHITE STONE WITH EXCELLENT TRANSLUCENCY. THE CARVING DEMONSTRATES SKILLED CRAFTSMANSHIP CHARACTERISTIC OF QING DYNASTY JADE WORK, WITH THE BEAST DEPICTED IN A RECUMBENT OR RESTING POSTURE. THE PIECE EXHIBITS THE REFINED DETAIL AND ANATOMICAL UNDERSTANDING TYPICAL OF HIGH-QUALITY CHINESE JADE CARVING FROM THIS PERIOD.

SPECIFICATIONS:
- MATERIAL: CELADON JADE (PALE GREEN-WHITE VARIETY)
- FORM: MYTHICAL BEAST (POSSIBLY A QILIN OR SIMILAR AUSPICIOUS CREATURE) IN RECUMBENT POSE
- CARVING STYLE: HIGH RELIEF WITH DETAILED SURFACE WORK
- DRILLING: TWO FUNCTIONAL HOLES PRESENT—ONE AT THE HEAD AND ONE AT THE REAR QUARTERS, INDICATING ORIGINAL USE AS A PENDANT OR DECORATIVE ATTACHMENT
- SURFACE FINISH: POLISHED WITH NATURAL PATINA FROM AGE AND HANDLING
- CONDITION: SOUND STRUCTURE WITH NO FRACTURES OR CHIPS. MINOR SURFACE WEAR CONSISTENT WITH HISTORICAL USE AND AGE

ARTISTIC MERIT:
THE CARVING DISPLAYS SOPHISTICATED UNDERSTANDING OF ANIMAL ANATOMY AND MOVEMENT, WITH CAREFULLY RENDERED DETAILS TO THE FACIAL FEATURES, MANE, AND BODY MUSCULATURE. THE PROPORTIONS ARE WELL-BALANCED, AND THE ARTIST HAS SKILLFULLY UTILISED THE NATURAL COLOUR VARIATION WITHIN THE JADE STONE. THE TRANSLUCENCY OF THE CELADON JADE IS PARTICULARLY EVIDENT WHEN HELD TO LIGHT, A HALLMARK OF QUALITY JADE SELECTION IN CLASSICAL CHINESE CARVING.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
JADE CARVINGS OF MYTHICAL BEASTS SERVED BOTH DECORATIVE AND TALISMANIC PURPOSES IN CHINESE CULTURE, BELIEVED TO CONVEY AUSPICIOUS QUALITIES AND PROTECTION TO THE WEARER. THIS PIECE WOULD HAVE BEEN WORN AS A PENDANT OR MOUNTED AS AN ORNAMENTAL ATTACHMENT, AS EVIDENCED BY THE ORIGINAL DRILLING HOLES.



Item Size: Height: 5cm, Width: 5cm, Depth: 5cm, Weight: 1Kg

Condition: Good

221432+7

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