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White nephrite jade vase

  • jade
  • China
  • Qing Dynasty Qianlong period
  • XVIIIème siècle
  • H : 13cm
  • Louis Lemcovici Collection (acquired in the 1950s)
Valia Lemcovici Collection

Description

White nephrite jade vase depicting a magnolia flower blooming on its stem, with two bats carved on a petal, the whole resting on a climbing branch of “lingzhi” mushrooms on one side.

“Lingzhi” (Ganoderma lucidum) is a woody mushroom that was believed to have many medicinal properties and was used in certain potions of immortality. As seen here, “lingzhi” is both a symbol of wish fulfillment and an emblem of longevity.
Bats, meanwhile, are considered auspicious in Chinese culture. Their name fu is a homophone for the word meaning happiness, making them a motif commonly associated with joy, prosperity, and good fortune.
The finely carved magnolia flower evokes beauty, purity, and nobility. It is also associated with femininity and the arrival of spring.

This type of piece is characteristic of Qing dynasty production.

References:

_A similar example is illustrated in Jadeware (I), The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, no. 282, page 267.
_Another example is illustrated in Jadeware (II), The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, no. 162, pages 197-198.

White nephrite jade vase

  • jade
  • China
  • Qing Dynasty Qianlong period
  • XVIIIème siècle
  • H : 13cm
  • Louis Lemcovici Collection (acquired in the 1950s)
Valia Lemcovici Collection

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