~ Carved Pale Nephrite Jade Figure of a Boy Holding a Lotus Leaf, Chinese, Qing Dynasty Style ~
A small carved nephrite figure of a kneeling boy in a robe with fluidly carved drapery folds, holding a large lotus leaf aloft over his head with one hand like an umbrella, while the other hand rests against a small rounded object at his side. The stone is a pale, slightly warm green tone with genuine translucency visible at the thinner edges of the leaf, and a good glossy polish overall. The carved lines show the same brown decorative staining seen elsewhere in this group, used to pick out detail such as the leaf veins and drapery.
Historical Context
A boy sheltering beneath, or holding aloft, a large lotus leaf is one of the most enduring subjects in Chinese decorative carving, tied to the rebus "lian sheng gui zi," in which the boy and the lotus together express the wish for the continuous birth of distinguished sons. The theme has roots in the Qixi festival, when children historically dressed and posed in imitation of this very image, and it remained one of the most popular subjects within the broader "boys at play" tradition carried through Qing dynasty jade carving and beyond. Because the design stayed in continuous production for so long, a precise date is difficult to pin down from photographs alone, though the style and handling here sit comfortably within the Qing dynasty idiom the piece is presented as.
~ Dimensions ~
The piece measures 1.6 inches (4 cm) wide, 0.7 inches (2 cm) deep and 2.75 inches (7 cm) tall. It weighs 71 g.
~ Condition ~
The sculpture is in very decent order, free from chips.
