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A SUPERB PALE CELADON AND RUSSET JADE CARVING OF A RAM, EASTERN HAN DYNASTY OR LATER China, c. 1st-3rd century AD. Naturalistically carved as a recumbent ram, its four legs folded beneath a plump body, with contours carefully incised in linear hatching. The slightly raised head distinguished by a pair of bulging eyes, a prominent muzzle with a small beard, and two long, slightly curved horns flanking pointed ears. The translucent stone of an appealing pale celadon tone, highlighted by russet shadings, icy-white inclusions, and dark mottling. Provenance: From The Sam and Myrna Myers Collection, Paris, France. Acquired between circa 1965-2012. Condition: Very good condition with surface wear and natural age-related imperfections. Minor traces of weathering and erosion. Occasional minute nicks and faint surface scratches. The stone surface with small areas of soil encrustation and distinct remnants or red pigment. Weight: 250.1 g Dimensions: Length 10.6 g Rams and sheep were recurring motifs in early Chinese art, appearing as early as the Shang dynasty (16th–11th century BC) on ritual bronzes. Stone and jade sculptures in the round, however, emerge at a considerably later date. Such works may have been influenced by steppe art, where both wild and domesticated animals were common subjects for harness and belt ornaments. The recumbent pose, prevalent among Han-dynasty examples, likewise echoes imagery from nomadic cultures. Expert’s note: The elongated, gracefully curving horns of the present jade carving are arguably reminiscent of those on a ram-shaped bronze lamp of the same period, excavated from the tomb of King Liu Sheng, Prince of Zhongshan, in Mancheng, now held by the Hebei Provincial Museum and illustrated in Zhongguo wenwu jinghua dacidian (Compendium of Masterpieces of Chinese Cultural Relics), 1995, p. 320, no. 1148. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related jade carving of a recumbent ram, Eastern Han dynasty or later, 25-376 AD, 15 cm long, excavated at Lingjuntai, Wuwei, Gansu province, in the Gnasu Provincial Museum, illustrated in James C. Y. Watt, China: Dawn of a Golden Age, 200-750 AD, 2004, p. 183, no. 89. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s Hong Kong, 20 November 2016, lot 3201 Price: HKD 19,860,000 or approx. EUR 2,575,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: An important and very rare celadon jade ram-form water pot, Western Han dynasty (206 BC-9 AD) Expert remark: Compare the closely related recumbent pose of the animal, manner of carving, and color of the stone. Note the similar size (11 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Christie’s London, 15 July 2005, lot 156 Price: GBP 4,800 or approx. EUR 12,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A white jade model of a ram, Han dynasty Expert remark: Compare the closely related recumbent pose of the animal and manner of carving. Note the slightly smaller size (9.5 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 20 May 2025, lot 3524 Estimate: HKD 60,000 or approx. EUR 6,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A white and russet jade ram, Eastern Han dynasty or later Expert remark: Compare the closely related recumbent pose of the animal, manner of carving, and color of the stone. Note the smaller size (5.4 cm).

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Jade