Chinese Works of ArtOPENWORK PENDANT WITH DRAGONS
Jade
China, Eastern Zhou, Warring States, 4th - 3th Century BC

鏤空雙龍紋玉佩- 東周, 战国, 公元前4世紀-前3世紀

This small openwork pendant was probably used as connecting element in a necklace and pectoral and presents a harmoniously balanced decoration arranged along a central axis of symmetry. The top of the ornament is formed by a small arc whose extremities are shaped as dragon heads in profile, almost like a miniaturized version of the huang pendant. Below and comprised within the arc there is a heart-shaped element: this and the small huang above are encircled by the tails of two addorsed dragons whose twisted, adhering bodies design an “S”-shaped curve. The heads of the dragons, placed laterally on both sides of the pendant, turn upwards and their mouths are pierced with a small suspension hole from which other jades could be strung. The bodies of the animals are completely decorated with finely incised curls, long “S”-shaped lines and etched patterns, while at the bottom of the ornament the two dragons’ bodies are joined through a curved and striated element. On one side of the pendant the pale yellow colour of the jade has turned brown due to strong iron inclusions, while on another area of the top part it has become darker and black. The jade shows strong signs of natural weathering on one side of the ornament: the surface is also covered with remains of soil encrustations and traces of red pigment. Although there are no comparable examples which match this pendant exactly, there are many other small ornaments in the same category which share similar features with the one presented here, including the small dimension: see for example the two reproduced in Salmony, Carved Jade, pl. 46, nos. 2 and 3, the latter in the William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art, Kansas City.

This pendant is published in Filippo Salviati 4000 YEARS OF CHINESE ARCHAIC JADES Edition Zacke, Vienna 2017, no. 215

Provenance: From an old Austro-Chinese private collection and has been acquired before 1980



HEIGHT 4.2 CM 高4.2 厘米