Pr. Qing Carved Rock Crystal Elephants w/ Boys on Original Bases

Description

Rare Pair of Antique Chinese Carved Rock Crystal Figures of Elephants, with Boys Riding the Elephant, Raised on Original Bases, Qing The pair is formed as two standing elephants carved in full round, each with a rounded body, lowered head, and four columnar legs set on fitted wood bases. On the back of each elephant is a boy shown reclining across the spine, his torso leaning forward with one arm extended and the other holding a spray of foliage. The boys are carved in low relief against the surface, with rounded faces and draped garments indicated by shallow folds. The elephants display carved details including curved trunks, defined tusks, incised eyes, and modeled ears. The bodies are further worked with shallow relief scrolls and foliate motifs across the flanks and shoulders. The rock crystal is finished with polished surfaces and carved passages that allow light to pass through the figures. Each figure is raised on an openwork base carved as a branching root form with pierced sections and irregular contours, fitted to the feet of the animals. The figures are identified as Chinese works of the Qing period. The subject of a boy riding an elephant appears in Chinese decorative arts and is associated with auspicious meaning. The phrase for riding an elephant, qi xiang, shares pronunciation with ji xiang, which refers to good fortune. The boy holding a spray of grass and tending to the elephant may be understood in relation to a Buddhist idea of clearing away external phenomena, which are regarded as illusory. Production of such figures required the selection of clear quartz material and controlled carving to maintain stability while achieving detailed surface work. The clarity of the material, the continuity of carving across the forms, and the preservation of the original zitan bases support the quality of manufacture. Pairs of this type, retaining matching carving, original bases, and a high degree of preservation, reflect a level of material quality and workmanship that is quite rare. Circa 1870.

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