ANTIQUE SPINACH-JADE ELEPHANT
CHINA
Standing four square in a solemn posture, a vase garnished with flowers and topped by a jadeite jade phoenix on its back, with a cloisonné en champlevé enamel saddle.

The elephant is one of the most motifs in Chinese Buddhist art.During the Qing Dynasty, he was incorporated into court decorative art and endowed with new meanings. Indeed, the Qing rulers had commissioned a number of jade elephants in a formal standing pose which were paired and placed in front of the imperial throne.

The image of an elephant together with a vase is a symbol for taiping youxiang (``when the elephants presents itself, the universe is at peace``).

Comparison:
YANG, Liu et CAPON, Edmund. ``Translucent World Chinese jade from the Forbidden City``. Catalogue de l`exposition présentée à la galerie de New South Wales, Australie en 2007, p. 165.

H : 27.7cm – 10 1/8’’
L : 23cm – 9 1/16’’

E: 8.000-12.000