A PALE GREEN AND RUSSET JADE 'BIRD AND BEAR' GROUP 17th century (3)A PALE GREEN AND RUSSET JADE 'BIRD AND BEAR' GROUP17th centuryThe pale green stone with patches of attractive bright russet skin, carved as a bird with outstretched wings protectively shielding the recumbent lion, wood stand, box. 8cm (3 1/8in) wide (3).十七世紀 青玉雕鷹熊擺件Provenance: Bluett & Sons, Ltd, London (label)An English private collectionBonhams London, 15 May 2014, lot 211A distinguished English private collection來源：倫敦古董商Bluett & Sons Ltd.（標籤）英國私人收藏倫敦邦瀚斯，2014年5月15日，拍品編號211英國顯赫私人收藏The present carving is known as a yingxiong group, since the eagle (ying 鷹) and the bear (xiong 熊) together represent a visual pun for a 'hero', (yingxiong 英雄), perhaps suggesting that the piece would have been appropriate as a gift to someone serving in the military.Yingxiong carvings come in many different interpretations, from the gentle bird pecking the nose of an archaistic beast illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 6, Ming Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, no.261 and the more fearsome creatures illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 9, Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, no.149, to the unusual form of the 'hero vase' featuring two conjoined cylindrical vases flanking an archaistic eagle and bear; see the spinach-green jade example illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 10, Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, no.149.The present carving makes most effective use of the almost triangular pebble, highlighted by patches of deep russet. Instead of depicting the ferocity or stylised archaism frequently associated with the motif, this carving instead offers an intimate picture of two creatures looking at each other in harmony, with the bird spreading in its wings protectively over the crouching docile beast.See a related pale green jade yingxiong group, 17th/18th century, which was sold at Bonhams London, 12 May 2011, lot 62.