Two pale green jade cat carvings


Mid Qing DynastyThe first, deftly carved as a recumbent cat with a butterfly perching between its front and hind legs, the cat with incised facial features and pointed hollowed ears, the tail coiled around its left haunch, wood stand, 4.9cm (2in) wide; the second, carved as a recumbent cat with the head resting on the front paws, the tail curled over its right hind leg, 4cm (1 1/2in) wide. (3).
|清中期 青玉雕耄耋把件及臥貓把件 一組兩件Provenance:A French noble collection (cat with butterfly)An English private collection (the smaller cat)Marchant, London來源：法國貴族舊藏（耄耋把件）英國私人舊藏（臥貓）倫敦MarchantSee a similar example of a jade three-cat and butterfly group, illustrated in Exquisite Jade Carving. Figures, Animals, Ornaments, Hong Kong, 1996, no.120.二者皆青玉質，瑩潤溫純，一圓雕臥貓戲蝶，貓面部陰刻，雙耳後伏，前腿趺坐，貓爪琢磨細膩，尾部彎曲貼于臀部，右側雕蝴蝶一隻伏於貓身。另一件圓雕伏臥貓一隻，面部陰刻加以淺浮雕眼部，刻劃簡練而傳神。貓蝶的組合在清代十分流行，因其諧音「耄耋」二字，寄意長壽。可參考香港大學曾展出一件玉雕三貓戲蝶擺件，見《Exquisite Jade Carving. Figures, Animals, Ornaments》，香港，1996年，編號120。