19th century Naturalistically carved as a horse in a foursquare stance, gazing forward with an alert expression, finely detailed with incised manes, a hanging tail, almond-shaped eyes, and pricked ears, the stone of greyish celadon tone with white patches and natural fissures, with a fitted rosewood stand. 22cm (8 3/4in) long. (2).
十九世紀 玉馬
Provenance: Liberty & Co. Ltd., London, 1957 (invoice) Spink & Son Ltd., London, 8 April 1976 (insurance valuation letter) A Scottish private collection
來源： 倫敦古董商Liberty & Co. Ltd.，1957年（收據） 倫敦古董商Spink & Son Ltd.，1976年4月8日（保險評估信） 蘇格蘭私人收藏
The horse symbolises speed, perseverance, success, and nobility, carrying a wealth of auspicious meanings through homophones and idiomatic expressions. One of the most well-known is ma dao cheng gong (馬到成功), meaning 'success arrives with the horse,' a metaphor for swift and effortless victory. The horse also embodied the aspirations and struggles of literati scholars, representing their quest for a discerning ruler who would recognize their talents—much like the legendary Bo Le (伯乐), famed for his ability to identify extraordinary steeds.
See a related celadon jade recumbent horse, Qing dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, Palace Museum, Taipei (acc.no.故玉000756N000000000).
See also a related pale celadon jade figure of a standing horse, 18th/19th century, which was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 30 May 2018, lot 556.
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