Jade figure of a sage

A jade figure of a sage, finely carved standing slightly turned, dressed in long, layered robes revealing the tips of his shoes, and wearing a small hat. His right hand carries a large branch of chrysanthemum bearing two flowers, one visible beside his head. His left hand is holding a chime suspended from a cord. His face is rendered with a warm and friendly expression, his long beard falling down to his chest. The underside shows the details of his shoes. The semi-translucent stone is of white colour with a few small pale, beige inclusions.

A related jade figure of Shoulao, the God of Longevity, carved in a very similar style and dated to the 18th century, is illustrated in Nott.[1] A further standing figure is in the collection of the Seattle Art Museum, accession number 33.1402, and a third example was exhibited in Hong Kong.[2]

Provenance:
Sotheby’s London, 1 November 1985, lot 347
Formerly in the collection of Joseph (1938-2005) and Bella (1941-2011) Shapiro

1. Nott, S. C., Chinese Jades in the Stanley Charles Nott Collection,West Palm Beach 1942, pl.XIV, pp 106-107
2. Virtuous Treasures: Chinese Jades for the Scholar’s Table, Hong Kong 2007, no. 46, p. 110