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Carving: O.1-1951

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

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Description

Light spinach green jade, boldly carved a caparisoned standing elephant. The saddlecloth each side decorated with a bat emerging from the sea waves and surmounted by two monks, one holding a vase and the other holding a tusk. The wrinkled skin of the body and legs indicated by deep accordion folds. This object is full of symbolic motifs, the elephant represents peace, as the Chinese believe that they appears when the country is prosperous. The bat on the saddlecloth represents luck, as bat is a homophone for luck. The vase (ping) held by the monk and the elephant (xiang), together represent the phrase Tai ping you xiang(elephant appear when the country is peaceful). In addition, riding on an elephant (qi xiang) is auspicious (ji xiang)

Legal notes

Mrs May Cippico in accordance with the wishes of Mrs Constance Goetze

Measurements and weight

Height: 17.5 cm
Length: 16.5 cm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1951) by Cippico, May, Mrs

Dating

1800 CE - 1900 CE

Materials used in production

Nephrite

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: O.1-1951
Primary reference Number: 138762
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 17 January 2017 Last processed: Tuesday 13 June 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Carving" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/138762 Accessed: 2024-04-25 13:23:26

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/138762 |title=Carving |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-04-25 13:23:26|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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