A GILT-METAL CAPARISONED JADE ELEPHANT, QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY | 清十八世紀 鎏金銅鑲嵌寳瓶配青玉瑞象

Formerly in a French collection. 

法國私人舊藏

Elephants represent strength, astuteness and wisdom, and in China they have long been associated with the imperial court, being presented as highly valued tribute gifts as early as the Tang dynasty, when it is recorded that the Xuanzong Emperor (r.713-756) was entertained by finely trained dancing elephants. In subsequent dynasties, elephants retained their lofty status and were often integral to processions celebrating the Emperor's birthday. The origin for the animal’s lofty stature is likely derived from its early connection with Buddhism where it symbolizes the tamed and strong mind of the practitioner. Furthermore, it is also related to both Shakyamuni Buddha, the Historical Buddha, and Samantabhadra; the former is said to have been born as an elephant in one of his previous incarnations, while the latter is often depicted riding a white elephant. 

Tribute-bearing elephants were often lavishly harnessed. The present elephant is dressed with a rich gilt-metal and stone-inlaid saddle cloth and saddle supporting an auspicious emblem, a vase enveloped by ribbons. It is likely that it was originally made as one of a pair made to be a mirror image of each other. Such pairs of caparisoned elephants were displayed in the halls of the Imperial palace, see examples displayed in the Yangxin dian, illustrated in Palaces of the Forbidden City, Hong Kong, 1986, pls. 78 and 79.

While the subject of a caparisoned elephant is more commonly found in jade carving, a large jade elephant dressed with ornate gilt-metal and stone inset harness is rare. Compare a larger spinach green jade elephant and his gilt-metal and champleve enamel-decorated saddle blanket supporting a pagoda, sold in Christie's Hong Kong, 30th May 2005, lot 1559. See also a very similar pair of similarly caparisoned jade elephants from the Imperial collection, published in The Palace Museum Collection. A Treasury of Ming and Qing Dynasty Furniture, vol. II, Beijing, 2007, fig. 782, and in situ on the cover illustration, and another example from the Imperial collection, illustrated in Classics of the Forbidden City - Life in the Forbidden City in Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2007, fig. 216.