Chinese Han Dynasty Nephrite Dragon w/ Gold Details
East Asia, China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. A hand-carved jade (nephrite) mythical dragon with gold painted scrolled flourishes adorning the body. Given the refined details and the dynamic rhythm of the composition, it is clear that the creator this piece had a tremendous level of skill. Note the elaborate calligraphic style and the suggested movement of the dragon's serpentine form. The dragon gracefully swirls and circles upon itself in a dance-like fashion. In addition to its artistry and iconography, the jade itself is inherently beautiful, boasting sage green hues and marvelous translucency when held to the light. Please note that the Lucite stand is for photography purposes only. Size: 2.75" W x 2" H (7 cm x 5.1 cm) Gold paint contains 1.5 to 4.4% gold.
During the Han dynasty, jade symbolized wealth and elite class as well as respected virtues. Accessories like this example were created to be pendants or attachments for clothing. Jade carved into dragon shapes that simultaneously possessed tiger-like attributes like this example were also used to decorate jade bi discs, stamps, and swords.
Chinese art has incorporated jade since the Neolithic period; quarries for nephrite, the formal name for one type of jade, have been found in modern-day southern Mongolia that date to ca. 4000 BCE. The stone was prized for its hardness, its beautiful coloration, and its durability. By the third millennium BCE, we know that jade had also come to be associated with immortality. Despite its hardness - a testament to the craftsmanship of early Chinese artisans - jade was used to make everything from everyday household objects and decoration to the ceremonial suits in which Han dynasty emperors were buried – with the belief that jade would preserve the body and the soul for eternity.
Provenance: private New Jersey, USA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#147468
Condition Report: Intact and excellent with impressive remains of gold paint and light earthen encrustations in areas of incised details.
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East Asia, China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. A hand-carved jade (nephrite) mythical dragon with gold painted scrolled flourishes adorning the body. Given the refined details and the dynamic rhythm of the composition, it is clear that the creator this piece had a tremendous level of skill. Note the elaborate calligraphic style and the suggested movement of the dragon's serpentine form. The dragon gracefully swirls and circles upon itself in a dance-like fashion. In addition to its artistry and iconography, the jade itself is inherently beautiful, boasting sage green hues and marvelous translucency when held to the light. Please note that the Lucite stand is for photography purposes only. Size: 2.75" W x 2" H (7 cm x 5.1 cm) Gold paint contains 1.5 to 4.4% gold.
During the Han dynasty, jade symbolized wealth and elite class as well as respected virtues. Accessories like this example were created to be pendants or attachments for clothing. Jade carved into dragon shapes that simultaneously possessed tiger-like attributes like this example were also used to decorate jade bi discs, stamps, and swords.
Chinese art has incorporated jade since the Neolithic period; quarries for nephrite, the formal name for one type of jade, have been found in modern-day southern Mongolia that date to ca. 4000 BCE. The stone was prized for its hardness, its beautiful coloration, and its durability. By the third millennium BCE, we know that jade had also come to be associated with immortality. Despite its hardness - a testament to the craftsmanship of early Chinese artisans - jade was used to make everything from everyday household objects and decoration to the ceremonial suits in which Han dynasty emperors were buried – with the belief that jade would preserve the body and the soul for eternity.
Provenance: private New Jersey, USA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#147468
Condition Report: Intact and excellent with impressive remains of gold paint and light earthen encrustations in areas of incised details.
Estimate
Time, Location
Auction House
