Cheval en jade céladon sculpté Chine, dynastie Qing, XVIIE siècle

couché, les pattes repliées sous lui, la tête tournée vers l'arrière, la crinière et la queue finement sculptée, le jade d'une belle teinte céladon pâle avec des inclusions rouille

Good overall condition ; the back of the piece with russet inclusions and natural flaws ; the actual color is more celadon than the catalogue illustration would suggest.
"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."

 

The present horse has been carved in the naturalistic tradition established during the Tang period (618-907), with an emphasis on the powerful bodies and faces. Such depictions of horses reflect their association with strength and wealth in Chinese history. While no Tang jade carvings of horses have yet been excavated, an 18^th century edition of the compendium on jade (Gu yu tu), attributed to Zhu Derun (1294-1365), records that the Emperor Xuanzhong (AD713-42) ordered five-coloured horses to be represented in sculpture which were in turn recreated by his jade artisan (see Jessica Rawson, Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, London, 1995, p. 369).

 

For earlier carvings of reclining horses with its head similarly turned, see a larger example exquisitely modelled from dark grey jade attributed to the early Ming dynasty, in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, published in James C. Lin, The Immortal Stone. Chinese Jades from the Neolithic period to the Twentieth Century, Cambridge, 2009, pl. 39; a small, sensitively modelled example attributed to the Jin or Yuan periods, in the British Museum, London, illustrated ibid., pl. 26:15; and another of similar size and date attribution, sold in our London rooms, 30^th October 1987, lot 346.