Jade. China, Early Bronze Age, Qijia culture, c.2200-1600 BC小白玉琮精品 - 青銅時代早期,齊家文化, 約公元前2200-1600年

HEIGHT: 4.1 CM高 4.1 厘米

This exquisite, miniature cong 琮in resplendent white jade with subtle yellow tonalities has been carved to perfection and can be assigned to the Qijia culture of north-western China. Qijia culture cong are derived from similar jades crafted by the Longshan culture (c.2600-1900) that were ultimately derived from Liangzhu culture (c.3300-2200 BC) cong. Qijia cong are usually plain, but they may occasionally be decorated with series of parallel ridges in relief that are either carved at the corners or all around the cong. These bands mimic the regular registers carved at the corners of Liangzhu culture cong, and are hence rendered in a more simplified and abstract manner.

This miniature cong represents a variation of similar objects decorated with raised lines, though here the lines have been transformed to form groups of four short, raised bands that are neatly carved along the four corners of the object. As the Liangzhu culture cong, it has four equally spaced registers that are separated by horizontal bands, while vertical bands divide the registers in the centre of each side.

The jade is almost pure white and highly polished with just a few greyish marks and a slightly orange tinge that can only be detected when the object is held to the light. The cong, with its geometric simplicity and lack of embellishments, almost resembles a contemporary, sculptural work of art.

A similar but undecorated small cong in white jade is published in F. Salviati, 4000 Years of Chinese Archaic Jades, Vienna 2017, no.106.

Expertise: Prof. Dr. Filippo Salviati

From an Italian collection義大利舊藏

All jades in this catalogue have been professionally examined, authenticated and described by Prof. Fillipo Salviati. Professor Salviati teaches Chinese and Korean art at Sapienza University in Rome, in the Italian Institute of Oriental Studies. He is a world expert on archaic Chinese jades, having released multiple publications and being cited by renowned auction houses such as Sotheby’s.