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A PAIR OF ROCK CRYSTAL CARVINGS OF HAWKS ATTACKING SWANS, LIAO DYNASTY
奥地利
09月11日 下午5点 开拍
拍品描述

Description

A PAIR OF ROCK CRYSTAL CARVINGS OF HAWKS ATTACKING SWANS, LIAO DYNASTY
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve

Published:
1. Myrna Myers (ed.) & Filippo Salviati (auth.), The Language of Adornment. Chinese Ornaments of Jade, Crystal, Amber and Glass, Paris, 2002, no. 90.
2. Jean-Paul Desroches (ed.) et al, Two Americans in Paris. A Quest for Asian Art, Paris, 2016, p. 163, no. 274.

Exhibited:
1. Pointe-à-Callière Museum, From the Lands of Asia. The Sam and Myrna Myers Collection, Montréal, 17 November 2016-19 March 2017.
2. Kimbell Art Museum, From the Lands of Asia. The Sam and Myrna Myers Collection, Fort Worth, Texas, 4 March-19 August 2018.

China, 10th-11th century. Each finely carved in the form of a large swan with a hawk perched upon its back, wings outstretched and pecking at the crown of the head. The prey depicted with wings folded tightly against its body and a sinuous neck curving downward to nestle the head against the chest. The spaces between the birds rendered in delicate openwork, while their feathers and eyes are meticulously incised. (2)

Provenance: The Collection of Sam and Myrna Myers, Paris, France. Acquired between circa 1965-2012.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, natural inclusions and fissures, minuscule nicks, and light surface scratches.

Weight: 127.7 g (total)
Dimensions: Length 6.2 and 7.2 cm

This pair of rock crystal carvings illustrates one of the favorite seasonal pursuits of the Liao: falconry. The art of falconry, a hunting partnership between the hunter and a bird of prey, has been practiced over a long period of time by many Central Asian peoples. The virtual absence of obstacles limiting one’s view over the vast expanses of Central and Inner Asia makes these lands ideal for falconry. Prey can easily be spotted and pursued by the predator, while the falconers on horseback can follow the flight until the moment the prey is caught, as shown in these carvings.

The subject of these carvings is the swan hunt (chunshui), which took place in the spring. The predator is shown in the act of attacking a swan. After the kill, the falcons were offered choice parts of the prey as a reward by the hunters. This act of sharing the kill reinforced the close relationship which existed between the falconer and his fierce companion.

These rock crystal ornaments are significant because examples of the ‘chunshui’ motif were previously known only from jades generally dated to the Jun and Yuan periods (12th to 14th century). These carvings would therefore represent one of the first occurrences of the ‘chunshui’ theme.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related rock crystal toggle in the shape of a falcon attacking a swan, Liao dynasty, dated 10th-11th century, 7.6 cm long, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 2004.202.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Sotheby’s New York, 19 March 2019, lot 232
Price: USD 4,375 or approx. EUR 4,500 (for one) converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A rock crystal ‘falcon and goose’ group, Liao dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the closely related form and manner of carving. Note the similar size (6 cm).

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价格信息

拍品估价:1,500 - 3,000 欧元 起拍价格:800 欧元  买家佣金: 35.00%

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