jade figure of standing camel

jade figure of standing camel , Qing Dynasty (1644–1911)

Where object was made: China

Material/technique: jade; wood; nephrite; staining

Credit line: Gift of Arthur S. Johnson and Helen Marcy Johnson

Accession number: 1979.0010.01

Not on display

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Label texts

Exhibition Label:
"Images of the Journey," Jun-2005, Hillary Pedersen
These jade figures are saddled and harnessed in preparation for travel. The delicacy of the translucent nephrite jade and the detailed carving of the animal’s fur contrasts with the sturdy, stalwart image of the animal. Jade is considered to be one of the most precious materials in China, and depicting this animal in this valuable medium speaks to the significance of camels within Chinese society.

Exhibition Label: Unknown
The camel become a popular theme in art of the T'ang Dynasty (618-906 A.D.), when the borders of China's empire were broader than ever before. Camels were used for transport along the silk route, and clay representations of them were often used in burials of the T'ang period. (See the T'ang Camel near the Oriental Gallery entrance.) There are a rare example of a Ch'ing artist using this theme as an archaic reference.