A PALE GREEN JADE CARVING OF A MYTHICAL BEAST 18th centuryA PALE GREEN JADE CARVING OF A MYTHICAL BEAST18th centuryThe recumbent beast is shown grasping a sprig of lingzhi in its mouth, with the head turned to its right and resting on its front paws, it has protruding eyes beneath thick brows and curved horns resting against its back, cloven hooves, and a bushy tail, the stone softly polished and of even, pale greenish-white tone with russet inclusions. 8.2cm (3 1/4in) wide.十八世紀 青白玉雕瑞獸擺件The present jade carving is possibly inspired by the archaic taste of the Ming dynasty, see a russet greyish white jade carving of a mythical beast, illustrated by the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Chinese Jade Animals, Hong Kong, 1996, no.147.青白玉質，圓雕一獸伏踞，目如銅鈴，口啣靈芝，如意形鼻，獨角後伏，耳如卷雲，背脊光索，尾分三叉。此件玉雕瑞獸承襲自明代之仿古風格，可比較一件明代淺褐斑灰白玉瑞獸，見香港藝術館編，《中國肖生玉》，香港，1996年，編號147。