A SMALL LIGHT GREEN JADE PENDANT IN THE SHAPE OF AN ARCHER’S RING WITH A DRAGON IN RELIEF

Jade, China. Western Han, 2nd – 1st century BC 龍紋韘形玉佩 - 西漢, 公元前2世紀-前1世紀

The shape of this pendant is derived from the archer’s thumb ring, as revealed by the outline of the flat bottom adorned with a simple pattern of alternating rows of parallel incisions and curls. Instead, the top side is decorated with a curvy, longmaned dragon whose elongated body partly emerges from the jade. Additional curved elements and raised curls on the surface balance the dragon’s imposing presence. The light green jade is highly polished and very smooth: residual traces of red powder create a pleasant pink tinge over some parts of the ornament. For a somewhat similar ornament decorated with two dragons in relief and an incised bottom, see J.P. Desroches (ed.), Two Americans in Paris. A Quest for Asian Art, Paris 2016, no.173.

LENGTH 4.5 CM – WIDTH 3.5 CM 長4.5 厘米 - 寬 3.5 厘米

From an Austrian collection

All jades in this catalogue have been professionally examined, authenticated and described by Prof. Filippo Salviati. Professor Salviati teaches Chinese and Korean art at Sapienza University in Rome, in the Italian Institute of Oriental Studies. He is a world expert on archaic Chinese jades, having released multiple publications and being cited by renowned auction houses such as Sotheby’s. The microscopic images made available here, show that the weathering of the jade has occurred over a long period of time. Furthermore in the magnification one can reconstruct the workings of the jade. The two aforementioned criteria are exactly what counts in the authentication of archaic jades – the difficult and elaborate workmanship by hand and the subsequent weathering of the jade over centuries. The microscopic enlargements show how the patterns were ground out in many small steps, sometimes over months, and that the weathering actually occurs above the carvings, meaning it occurred after the jade was completed.