A pale celadon jade 'buffalo and boys' carving, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period | 清乾隆 青白玉童子牧牛擺件

Property from a French Private Collection
A pale celadon jade 'buffalo and boys' carving
Qing dynasty, Qianlong period

wood stand
(2)
Length 7.5 cm, 3 in.
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Collection particulière française
Petite sculpture 'buffle et garçons' en jade céladon pâle, dynastie Qing, époque Qianlong
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法國私人收藏
清乾隆 青白玉童子牧牛擺件

Condition Report:
Some natural inclusions and fissures to the stone, apart from that, this figure is in good condition.
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玉料天然含沁及綹裂，此外品相良好。

Catalogue Note:
The present lot features a skilfully carved jade pebble in an even white tone, depicting a buffalo alongside two children. The buffalo holds significant importance in Chinese lore, symbolising strength, diligence, and hard work. Accompanied by two children, the composition evokes a sense of pastoral tranquillity and serves as a reminder of the importance of harmonious coexistence with nature. As early as the Song Dynasty (960-1279), poets such as Su Shi and Huang Tingjian (1045-1105), as well as their painter friend Li Gonglin (c. 1041-1106), were associated with this genre. From the 11th century onwards, the subject ‘buffalo and child’ exemplified for many scholars and officials the simplicity of life far removed from ceremony, ritual, and social obligation.

Most carvings of this popular theme represent only one child rather than two. Another example with two children was included in the exhibition Chinese Jades from Han to Ch'ing, Asia House Gallery, New York, 1980, cat. no. 48, where it is attributed to the Ming dynasty.

Compare a related jade ‘child with buffalo’ carving with a single boy, also with a wooden stand, from the former Qing imperial collection and now in the National Palace Museum, Taipei (acc. no. 故玉003207N000000000); two similar examples found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one currently on view in Gallery 219 (acc. no. 2015.500.5.15), the other (acc. no. 02.18.438) originally from the collection of Heber R. Bishop, illustrated in Denise P. Leidy, Wai-fong Anita Siu and James C. Y. Watt, "Chinese decorative arts", The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, vol. 55, no. 1, 1997, p. 26; Other comparable Qianlong period white jade buffaloes, include two examples sold at Christie's Hong Kong, the first 31st May 2010, lot 1893, and another of larger size, similarly placed on a carved wood stand, sold 1st December 2009, lot 2009. Two similar examples were also sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 13th October 2021, lot 3623; and 9th October 2022, lot 3675.

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此玉件精雕細琢，用料白淨勻和，刻畫兩小兒牧牛情狀。中國民間傳說中，牛意義非凡，象徵力量、奮發及勤耕細作。兩小兒牧牛之景，既喻歸園田居之安寧，又存天人和諧之至理。早在宋代（960-1279年），文人如蘇軾、黃庭堅（1045-1105年），墨客如李公麟（約1041-1106年），皆與此題材結緣。十一世紀以降，「童子牧牛」主題已成文人士族返璞歸真、遠離俗務之寄託。

玉雕童子牧牛，多為一童，罕見雙童。另有雙童玉雕一例，錄《中國漢朝至清朝玉器》，Asia House Gallery，亞洲協會，紐約，1980年，編號48，斷為明代。

比一例，見一童子，帶木底座，清宮舊藏，現存台北故宮（藏品編號故玉003207N000000000）；另比兩類例，藏大都會博物館，其一展於219號展廳（藏品編號2015.500.5.15），其二（藏品編號 02.18.438）為Heber R. Bishop舊藏，錄Denise P. Leidy, Wai-fong Anita Siu and James C. Y. Watt, 《中國裝飾藝術》, 載《大都會博物館簡報》， 第55期，編號1，1997年，頁26；另有兩例，分別售於香港蘇富比 2021年10月13日，編號3623，及2022年10月9日，編號3675。

Provenance:
Collection of the Lt. Victor Aymé Desiré Rahou (1826-1898), and thence by family descent.

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Victor Aymé Desiré Rahou (1826-1898)中尉收藏，此後家族傳承