White jade figure "mother and child", Qing dynasty, Qianlong

A pure carved Hetian white jade figure. The set consists of a mother-and-child pair of canines. Both are lying down with their forelegs outstretched. The adult dog is looking straight ahead, while the younger dog rests his face on his chest. The details are remarkable for their delicacy and naturalistic poses. Carved jade animals were most popular from the Song to the Qing dynasty. Their uses were diverse: paperweight, pendant or 'toy' for scholars. In very good condition. 

The figure is related to the Chinese idiom "母憑子貴" (Mupíng zi guì) meaning "the mother is more valuable than the son".

Provenance: Important collection of Tommy Lam, Hong Kong, since 1980.

Size: 4.5 x 4 x 8.2 cm; Weight: 138 g