A pale green jade recumbent mythical beast


Ming DynastyFinely carved with the forelegs extended forward, its raised head turned sharply backwards grasping a stem of blossoming peony in its mouth, the facial features well portrayed with a single horn flanked by pointed ears above protruding eyes and snout, with a bushy tail curling upwards, the greenish-white stone with russet markings, wood stand, box. 7.3cm (2 7/8in) long (2).
|明 青白玉雕銜花瑞獸Provenance:Dr Isaac Newton (d. circa 1982), Livingston, ScotlandBluett & Sons, LondonSotheby's London, 16 May 2012, lot 4Marchant, LondonExhibited, Published and Illustrated:Bluett & Sons, Dr Newton's Zoo, A study of post-Archaic Small Jade Carvings, 1981, no.39, pp.26-27Marchant, 90th Anniversary Exhibition: Ninety Jades for 90 Years, London, 2015, no.54Dr Newton was the Director of Health and Medical Services in Hong Kong, as well as a member of the Legislation Council. His collection of jades was largely formed after his retirement near Edinburgh. 牛頓醫生曾於港英時期擔任香港健康醫療機構的監事，並擔任立法委委員。他的玉器大部分為退休返回愛丁堡後所收藏。來源：英國蘇格蘭利文斯頓艾薩克·牛頓醫生（1982年逝世）舊藏倫敦Bluett & Sons倫敦蘇富比，2012年5月16日，拍品編號4倫敦Marchant展覽、出版及著錄：Bluett & Sons，《Dr Newton's Zoo》，1981年，編號39，頁26/7Marchant，《玉器九十，90週年特展》，倫敦，2015年，編號54A similar carving of a mythical beast grasping a branch in its mouth, from the Zhi Rou Zhai collection is illustrated by S.Fung & Y.Chun-tong in Exquisite Jade Carving, Hong Kong, 1996, p.138, no.144; see also another similar green jade mythical beast, also grasping a peony blossom in its mouth, illustrated by J.C.Y.Watt, Chinese Jades from Han to Chi'ing, New York, 1980, p.74, no.55.青白玉質，圓雕瑞獸，蒜鼻，圓喙，獨角上揚，耳後伏，口銜牡丹，腦後披陰刻長髮，伏臥貌，利爪，足切平，尾毛三叉，團曲如雲。此件瑞獸形象頗似獬豸，或為明人想象中的犀牛，銜花瑞獸明代以來多有見之。可比較一件明代褐灰色白玉瑞獸，見《玲瓏玉雕：玉人、玉獸、玉飾》，香港，1996年，頁138，編號144。另有一件明代青玉瑞獸銜牡丹雕件亦資參考，見屈志仁著，《Chinese Jades from Han to Chi'ing》，紐約，1980年，頁74，編號55。