TWO JADE AND SOAPSTONE FIGURES
TWO JADE AND SOAPSTONE FIGURES
Jade, soapstone
China, Qing dynasty (1644-1912) to Republic period (1912-1949)
The jade figure shows a mythical creature with a predator’s body and a man’s head with mild, even amusing facial features. The creature’s wings and tails are attached to the decoratively dominant, openworked shield, shaped like a leaf and showing pairs of chilong and fenghuang that are so intertwined with the ornamental elements that they are quite hard to identify. The light green jade is almost white when light is shone through. The soapstone figure shows Shoulao with a full beard and elongated head, holding a high, gnarled staff in one hand and a longevity peach in the other. The soapstone color is grey to black-brown.
Dimensions: HEIGHT 14.5 CM
Condition: Good condition
Provenance: Austrian private collection