Lot details China, late Qing dynasty (1644-1912) to Republic period (1912-1949). Of archaistic bi form, the disc pierced in the middle, finely carved on one side with the animals of the four directions: Green Dragon, White Tiger, Red Bird, and Black Tortoise, intertwined with vines, the other side similarly incised with mythical beast heads. The brown stone with dark brown inclusions. Condition: Very good condition with wear and expected minor signs of weathering. Provenance: Estate of Wolfgang Zacke (1942-2022), co-founder of Galerie Zacke, thence by descent. Weight: 127.5 g Dimensions: Diameter 9.5 cm Four fabulous astral beasts have watched over the four cardinal points of the world since the beginning of the Celestial Empire. Infused with yuanqi, the primordial breath, from the axis of the sky, the Pole Star and the Northern Bushel, our Big Dipper, with its emblematic Yellow Unicorn (Qilin), associated with the center and the earth, the Green Dragon (Qinglong), the Vermilion Bird (Zhuque), the White Tiger (Baihu) and the Black Tortoise – or Black Warrior – (Xuanwu), each govern a season and a palace comprising seven of the constellations of 28 lunar mansions (xiu) of the celestial equator.
Lot details China, late Qing dynasty (1644-1912) to Republic period (1912-1949). Of archaistic bi form, the disc pierced in the middle, finely carved on one side with the animals of the four directions: Green Dragon, White Tiger, Red Bird, and Black Tortoise, intertwined with vines, the other side similarly incised with mythical beast heads. The brown stone with dark brown inclusions. Condition: Very good condition with wear and expected minor signs of weathering. Provenance: Estate of Wolfgang Zacke (1942-2022), co-founder of Galerie Zacke, thence by descent. Weight: 127.5 g Dimensions: Diameter 9.5 cm Four fabulous astral beasts have watched over the four cardinal points of the world since the beginning of the Celestial Empire. Infused with yuanqi, the primordial breath, from the axis of the sky, the Pole Star and the Northern Bushel, our Big Dipper, with its emblematic Yellow Unicorn (Qilin), associated with the center and the earth, the Green Dragon (Qinglong), the Vermilion Bird (Zhuque), the White Tiger (Baihu) and the Black Tortoise – or Black Warrior – (Xuanwu), each govern a season and a palace comprising seven of the constellations of 28 lunar mansions (xiu) of the celestial equator.
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
