Lot 151. A rare large green and russet jade 'boy' brush rest, 17th century; 17cm (6 3/4in) long. Estimate £ 15,000 - £ 20,000. Sold for £ 81,312 (€ 90,122). Courtesy Bonhams.

The figure of the boy crisply carved wearing loose flowing tunic and trousers, resting on his belly with his legs raised and arms outstretched as if in flight, the large head finely detailed with incised hair and almond-shaped eyes, the stone of even greyish-green tone with some russet inclusions.

Provenance: an English private collection, and thence by descent.

Note: The Confucian doctrine of filial piety together with the cult of ancestor worship underscored the need for children, in particular boys, to continue the family line and make offerings to the ancestors in the afterlife. As such, the depiction of boys can be found in various media in Chinese art including painting, porcelain, lacquer and jade carvings.

Compare with a related but larger jadeite pillow in the shape of an infant boy, 18th/19th century, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (acc.no.02.18.426).

Pillow in the shape of an infant boy, 19th century. Qing dynasty (1644–1911). China. Jade (nephrite); H. 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm); W. 4 in. (10.2 cm); L. 8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Heber R. Bishop, 1902 (02.18.426). Photo: Courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Bonhams. Fine Chinese Art, London, 5 Nov 2020