Jade, China. Late Eastern Zhou, Warring States period, 3rd to 2nd cent. BC

龍紋玉環。中國，東周代，戰國時期，公元前4－3世紀。寬9.7厘米，厚約0.7厘米。加拿大私人舊藏。

Arc-shaped huang with a powerfully expressive dragon’s head on each end. The heads are that of the archaic kuilong and have a pointed nose which curves slightly upwards, a spiral beard on the chin and pointed, raised ears. The band behind the head has extremely finely ground lines. The curved surface of the huang features a spiral pattern, the wowen, on both sides. Actually, the spirals are clouds, curled however, and thus a sign of the dragon as a “heavenly animal”. This form of huang was very popular at the time and also had an apotropaic function. Very small eyelet, light yellow-green color with white spots due to aging which are reddish yellow when light shines through the piece.

Notes by Prof. Salviati: This fine example of a huang, or arc-shaped ornament, has carved dragon heads at the extremities and an arched section decorated with small raised, long-tailed curls: the ornament is pierced at the top centre with a hole for suspension drilled from one side only. The ears, nose, eye, mouth and chin are all highlighted through a low relief effect obtained by grinding away the jade near the detail to be emphasized. Two raised bands incised with thin lines separate the heads from the body. The jade is translucent and pale green in colour, with yellowish hues and some altered, white areas. Remains of soil and traces of red pigment are scattered over the surface. Compare two huang from the Grenville L. Winthrop (1864-1943) collection now in the Harvard Art Museums, acc. nos.1943.50.179 and 1943.50.341, also published in Max Loehr and Louisa G. Fitzgerald Huber, Ancient Chinese Jades from the Grenville L. Winthrop Collection in the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Fogg Art Museum (Cambridge, MA) 1975, nos.488 and 489: http://www.harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/204933?position=0 http://www.harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/204987?position=0.

WIDTH 9.7 CM, THICKNESS CA. 3 MM

From a Canadian collection



Expertise: Wolfmar Zacken (description) & Fillipo Salviati (dating and expertise)