A JADE CARVING OF A BOY MING DYNASTY

finely and intricately carved in the round in high relief to depict a boy reclining comfortably nestled under a lotus spray, his left hand holding a straw basket while clutching a long lotus stem in his right hand, the long curling stems issuing lotus flowers opening to reveal seeds and leafy pads, their veining and furled edges finely picked out, the translucent stone of a pale celadon tone with russet splashes to the surface which cleverly enhance the carving

Exquisite Jade Carving, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 1996, cat. no. 20.

The carving is in very good condition with a very nice patina. The stone has some natural veins and black speckling through it.
"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.
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The high degree of naturalism and the extensive depth of carving achieved in the present piece is testimony of the carver's skill and confidence with the medium. A stunning example of openwork on figures, seen where the basket and lotus spray meet beneath the boy's chin and on the lotus stem on his back, the natural suffusions also flaunt the complexity of the composition. Of all secular jades figures the jade boy was the most popular, a favourite among men and women alike, which shows how important it was to have male descendants to carry on the family name. Jade boys carrying a lotus flower or lotus leaf were a particularly favoured theme over a long period, starting in the Song dynasty and continuing through to the Qing. This motif is thought to have originated in the Song dynasty, when on the festival of Qixi, the seventh evening of the seventh lunar month, the streets were filled with children dressed in waistcoats and holding a lotus leaf or plant. According to records, they were imitating the Moheluo cult, which continued well into the Yuan dynasty but ceased abruptly in the Ming period.

Compare a slightly earlier version of this subject included in the exhibition Jades from China, The Museum of East Asian Art, Bath, 1994, cat. no. 252; and a later version in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, illustrated in Ming Wilson, Chinese Jades, London, 2004, pl. 86. See also an example of a boy reclining against a lotus leaf while clutching a long lotus stem, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 27^th November 2007, lot 1570; and another of a boy curled atop a lotus leaf while clutching a lotus flower, sold in our New York rooms, 28-29^th November 1994, lot 87.