Pair of Antique Chinese Jade and Hardstone Inlaid Plaques of Boys

Description

Pair of Antique Chinese Jade and Hardstone Inlaid Plaques of Boys, 1880s A pair of antique Chinese jade and hardstone inlaid plaques of boys, dating to the 1880s, each composed as a vertical landscape scene assembled from numerous carved stone elements applied against a turquoise colored ground. The two plaques depict groups of boys and attendants engaged in outdoor activities among rocky terraces, flowering trees, pines, bamboo, garden pavilions, bridges, clouds, and water. The figures are individually carved in relief from stones of contrasting white, cream, green, yellow, brown, red, and gray tones. Their robes, faces, hands, hairstyles, and accessories are separately defined, with the varied colors of the stones used to distinguish individual garments and elements. Both compositions are enclosed within rectangular red lacquer frames carved with a continuous scrolling pattern. Metal hanging mounts are attached at the upper edges. The first plaque centers on a garden landscape arranged across several levels. At the upper left, a flowering tree extends diagonally across the turquoise ground, its branches carrying numerous pink blossoms, green leaves, and rounded fruit. A boy stands upon one of the projecting branches. White cloud formations appear behind the tree and continue toward a pavilion at the upper right. The pavilion is formed with slender columns and a pitched roof carved in dark brown and reddish stones. Layered rock formations rise around the structure, while several boys gather on a terrace immediately below. A pale stone bridge projects diagonally from this elevated section toward the center of the composition. The lower half of the first plaque contains another group of figures gathered upon a broad rocky outcrop. Several boys carry branches, fruit, and other small objects, while an older figure stands among them. The individual bodies are assembled from differently colored hardstones, allowing the robes and accessories to be distinguished without painted decoration. Carved pine branches extend across the lower right, their trunks and foliage formed from brown, green, and reddish stones. Additional rocks, flowers, plants, and small landscape elements are distributed around the lower edge. A rectangular seal form with carved Chinese characters is positioned in the upper left corner. The companion plaque presents a related landscape centered by a long pale dragon carved in relief and extending horizontally through the middle of the composition. Its head is shown in profile with an open mouth, projecting whiskers, defined horns, and a sinuous body. Groups of boys approach the dragon from the rocky foreground, several holding staffs, branches, or other objects. The figures are positioned across separate stone ledges, creating distinct levels within the scene. Smaller carved objects and vegetation appear between the figures and along the lower edge. The upper portion of the second plaque contains further architectural and landscape elements. A pavilion with a red tiled roof projects from the upper right, where two seated figures appear behind a low railing. Pierced scholar's rocks rise beside the pavilion, and bamboo leaves extend above the roof. At the upper left, two boys stand together on a projecting rocky platform beside a pine tree. White cloud formations extend across the turquoise ground above them. The combination of architecture, figures, trees, rocks, clouds, and the central dragon creates a continuous garden setting assembled almost entirely from individually shaped stone components. The pair is identified as Chinese work from the 1880s. No specific workshop or individual carver is identified from the supplied photographs. The plaques belong to a tradition of Chinese decorative panels in which jade and other hardstones were carved separately and applied to a contrasting ground. Stones were selected partly for their natural colors, allowing flesh, clothing, foliage, architecture, flowers, rocks, and animals to be differentiated through the materials themselves. The close correspondence in dimensions, framing, turquoise grounds, landscape arrangement, figure scale, and carving technique indicates that the two plaques were conceived as a matched pair. Production of panels of this type required numerous independent carving and assembly stages. Individual figures, branches, leaves, blossoms, roof sections, clouds, rocks, animals, and architectural elements were cut from separate pieces of stone. Relief carving was used to define facial features, folds of clothing, bark, foliage, roof tiles, dragon features, and rocky surfaces. The finished components were then arranged against the flat ground to form the complete compositions. Some elements project substantially from the surface, particularly the figures, tree branches, rock formations, pavilion structures, and dragon. The carved red lacquer frames provide a separate decorative border around each scene. Their continuous relief ornament surrounds the turquoise fields without interrupting the applied stone compositions. The metal hanging fittings at the top provide the structural means for wall display. Across both plaques, the use of jade and multicolored hardstones, individually modeled figures, pierced rockwork, layered landscapes, flowering vegetation, architectural structures, and carved relief details records the specialized materials and assembly methods used in Chinese hardstone inlaid decorative panels of the late nineteenth century. Overall Dimensions: 28" H × 19.5" W; 1" D

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