East Asia, China, Shang Dynasty, ca. 1558 to 1046 BCE. A large, impressive mask made from white jade (nephrite) with wide, staring eyes, a triangular nose, and a wide mouth with thick lips. Prominent cheekbones and large, incised eyebrows give the face a distinguished appearance. Two long ears are in low relief along the sides of the head. A drilled hole through the forehead was made for attachment - this item was likely sewn onto the burial garments of an elite member of Shang society. Jade carving had already been taking place for 2000 years in China by the time of the Shang, and possession of jade denoted wealth. Size: 6.45" W x 7.95" H (16.4 cm x 20.2 cm); 10.95" H (27.8 cm) on included custom stand.

Chinese art has incorporated jade since the Neolithic period; quarries for nephrite, the type of jade found in China, have been found in modern-day southern Mongolia that date to ca. 4000 BCE. The stone was prized for its hardness, its beautiful coloration (with a milky white being the most desired), and its durability. By the third millennium BCE, we know that jade had also come to be associated with immortality. Jade was used to make everything from everyday household objects and decoration to the ceremonial suits in which Han dynasty emperors were buried – with the belief that jade would preserve the body and the soul for eternity.

Provenance: private Newport Beach, California, USA collection

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#133516

Encrusted patina on stone surface. Nice, vivid features and form.