Monochrome II

Monochrome II

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 8. A SMALL YELLOW JADE ANIMAL HEAD LATE SHANG DYNASTY | 商末 黃玉獸首.

PROPERTY FROM THE HEI-CHI COLLECTION 熙墀收藏

A SMALL YELLOW JADE ANIMAL HEAD LATE SHANG DYNASTY | 商末 黃玉獸首

Auction Closed

October 9, 06:06 AM GMT

Estimate

200,000 - 300,000 HKD

Lot Details

Description

Property from the Hei-Chi Collection

A SMALL YELLOW JADE ANIMAL HEAD

LATE SHANG DYNASTY

熙墀收藏

商末 黃玉獸首


skilfully worked with a subtle ridge to depict the snout, the tip picked out with two nostrils, the reverse further rendered with two curved incised lines flanking the aperture, the warm greenish-yellow stone with light russet inclusions

4.2 cm, 1 ½ in.

Jiang Tao and Liu Yunhui, Jades from Hei-Chi Collection II, Beijing, 2012, p. 39.


姜濤及劉雲輝,《熙墀藏玉續》,北京,2012年,頁39

The production of small jade animal carvings blossomed in the late Shang period around the time of Fu Hao (c. 1200 BC). The bloom could have been inspired by Neolithic pieces, according to Jessica Rawson, as evident by the famous phoenix plaque from Shijiahe culture (c. 2500-2000 BC) unearthed in the tomb of Fu Hao, among numerous Shang dynasty jade animal carvings (The Complete Collection of Jades Unearthed in China, vol. 5: Henan, Beijing, 2005, pl. 30). The similarities in decoration between jade animal carvings and bronzes, especially those with exotic zoomorphic motifs from Dayangzhou in Jiangxi, however, suggest another possible connection (see Jessica Rawson, Chinese Jade: From the Neolithic to the Qing, London, 1995, pp. 205-208). The facial features and the incised details of the present carving indicate a stronger relationship with Shang dynasty bronzes than with Neolithic precedents. Compare two related jade carvings excavated from Xiaotun, Anyang, and exhibited in King Wu Ding and Lady Hao: Art and Culture of the Late Shang Dynasty, Taipei, 2011, p. 189, a celadon jade ornament for the handle of an arrow case, and p. 196, a set of horse bridle ornaments including two jade animal masks. See also two jade ‘animal head’ carvings illustrated in Jessica Rawson, op.cit., nos 12:16-12:17. The former, probably reworked from a section of a cong, is similarly decorated with features reminiscent of Shang bronzes, but with protruding flanges on either side. See also a small jade carving of a ram head with similarly outlined brows from the tomb of Fu Hao, published in The Complete Collection of Jades Unearthed in China, op.cit., pl. 37.


Related animal masks can also be found on Shang dynasty beads; see an example, also incised with a diamond motif on the forehead of the animal, illustrated in Jessica Rawson, op.cit., no. 14:2, together with another bead in the collection of the British Museum, London, fig. 3.


小巧的肖生玉雕,新石器時代偶見,如紅山文化中玉鴞等,但此後幾近絕跡,直至晚商才始見復興,如河南安陽武丁妻子婦好墓(約公元前1200年)便出土不少肖生玉雕。羅森認為商代動物玉雕的興盛,可能誘因有二。婦好墓中出土石家河文化玉鳳等新石器時代玉雕,可見這類古物或為當時的貴胄所珍,繼而引領潮流,促使仿效摹製(《中國出土玉器全集》,卷5:河南,北京,2005年,圖版30)。商末動物玉雕造型,又與青銅相類,尤其是江西大洋洲所出之器,極有機會受其啟發(詳見羅森,《Chinese Jade: From the Neolithic to the Qing》,倫敦,1995年,頁205-208)。此玉獸首,臉龐瘦削,雙角內彎,揚眉臣目,立體生動。其臉相細節與商朝青銅紋飾風格異曲同工,相信受後者影響較大。 類同玉雕獸首珮,可參考安陽小屯墓葬出土例,展於《武丁與婦好:殷商盛世文化藝術特展》,台北,2011年,頁189,青白玉獸面箭箙鋬飾,以及頁196,一串扇貝玉馬羈飾中繫有青玉牛首和青白玉獸首珮。其他商朝獸首玉珮,可參考羅森,前述出處,編號12:16-12:17。前者採玉琮一角改製,同飾內彎雙角,目呈臣字,風格接近青銅紋飾,但綴有出廓凸棱。婦好墓出土羊首珮,同飾雙鉤眉毛,見《中國出土玉器全集》,前述出處,圖版37。


相類獸首造型,也有飾於商代玉管,其眉心也陰刻菱形,見羅森,前述出處,編號14:2,並刊大英博物館藏獸面紋玉管,圖3。