A RARE, LARGE AND POWERFUL JADE FIGURE OF A BIXIE, MID-WESTERN HAN DYNASTY - EARLY SIX DYNASTIES PERIODExpert’s note: The magnificent polish and remarkably unctuous feel overall are a distinctive testimony of many centuries of passionate handling, indicating that this piece may either be a rare heirloom example, or at the least was only buried for a rather short period, and thence handed down from generation to generation of respectful keepers.China, c. 100 BC to 400 AD. Powerfully carved in a prowling pose with the legs and the right haunch tucked under the body and the left extended backward, rigorously pushing the winged body forward. The face with bulging eyes below thick brows and a pair of curved horns, the pierced mouth baring teeth above the distinct goat beard. The body neatly incised with wings, fur markings, and scroll motifs. The softly polished translucent stone is of a pale green and creamy russet-brown tone with distinct chestnut inclusions and russet veining.Provenance: The personal collection of Robert Rousset, acquired before 1935. Thence by descent to Jean-Pierre Rousset. The underside with an old label, ‘C. 1085’. Robert Rousset was a former French radio officer in the merchant navy, who became one of the most prominent pioneers of the Chinese art market in Paris. As a child, his father, an insurance agent, would take him to Hôtel Drouot where he started to buy at a very young age. His true passion for Asian art started in the 1920s, when he was sent on a mission to Beijing after the decline of the Qing empire, along with Osvald Sirén, the famous Swedish Asian art historian and connoisseur. He then became one of the main contributors of Chinese antiques for thepagnie de la Chine et des Indes, founded in Paris in the early 20th century by the Blazy brothers. After the 1929 stock market crash, he had the opportunity to acquire thepany. With his sister Suzanne in charge of the porcelain, they developed the business and became one of the most important dealers in France, selling pieces to the greatest museums, including the Musée Guimet and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. With no children of his own, Robert took his nephew Jean-Pierre (1936-2021) under his wing and began grooming him to eventually take over the gallery. He loved to wander with Jean-Pierre through the gallery's exhibitions and storerooms, telling stories about each piece while cultivating his protégé’s eye. Jean-Pierre was also sent by his uncle to train with the great expert in Asian art and Robert’s close friend, Michel Beurdeley, whose numerous publications are stillmonly referenced today. When Robert passed away, his private collection was divided between Jean-Pierre and his sister, Anne-Marie, whose part was sold with great success after her death in 2019.Condition: Good condition with minor wear, few tiny nicks and light scratches. A small section of the tail has been reattached. The stone with natural inclusions and