Lot 146. A very rare pale green jade 'ram and boy' group, 18th century; 16cm (6 1/4in) wide. Estimate HK$ 800,000-1,200,000. Sold for HK$ 1,752,500 (€ 188,940,000 (€ 101,321899). Photo: Bonhams.

The smoothly-polished stone superbly carved in the round as a recumbent ram with its head slightly turned to the right, a boy leaning on the ram and holding a rope tied to the ram's head, the ridged horns delicately terminating at the back over finely-hollowed ears, the legs tucked underneath the powerful body accentuated by the smoothly-ridged spine, the stone of an even pale green stone, with some russet to the left horn, wood stand, box.

Note: The ram is a popular motif in Chinese jade carving, not only because its pronunciation sounds close to the pronunciation of the word xiang, 'auspicious', but also as a symbol of filial piety, patience and kindness. A jade group of ram and boy is very rare, compare a jade group of a boy riding a ram, Qianlong period, in the Guimet Museum, Paris, (acc.no.MG95), published in Jade: From Emperors to Art Deco, Paris, 2016, cat.127.

Despite the rarity of the theme in jade during the Qing dynasty, the ram and boy group may have its origins in a legend from 2nd century Gandhara.Taizi runying benqijing (Sutra on the Life of the Prince in Accordance with Good Omens), an early Buddhist sutra, introduced into China during the Three Kingdoms Period (220–280 AD), described that 'when he was seven-years old, Shakyamuni rode a ram to visit his teacher and asked for books to study.' This story may correspond to the motif of a boy riding a ram, which appears to have been popular during the 3rd and 4th centuries. Compare with an agate group of boy and ram, unearthed from a tomb dated to the Three Kingdoms Period, and see more discussion on the connection of the group and Buddhist classics, W.Zhu, Qiyang tongzi: jiekai caowei meishu beihou de silu mima (Boy Riding a Ram: A Key to Understand the Art of Kingdom of Wei through Silkroad) in the Journal of Nanjing Arts Institute (Fine Arts & Design), Nanjing, 2018, vol.1, pp.49-55.

Boy and buffalo groups are seen more often as Qing dynasty jade carvings; see for example a pale green jade box and buffalo group, Qing dynasty, in the Qing Court Collection, illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the Palace Museum, Jade 9 Qing Dynasty, 2011, Beijing, p.145, no.135. Compare also with a pale green jade 'water-buffalo and boy' group, Qianlong, which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 28 May 2019, lot 41.

Bonhams. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, 1 Dec 2020, Hong Kong, Admiralty