'Phoenix: Symbol of Virtue, Peace and Harmony', Throckmorton Fine Art

[View this email in your browser]( Throckmorton Fine Art presents an expansive exhibition of jade carvings of the mystical bird long present in Chinese mythology—the phoenix.On display are more than sixty jade carvings, each one an exquisite piece of ornamental and/or ceremonial sculpture. These artworks were produced by cultures that span the history of Chinese civilisation, from the late Neolithic period through to the early 20th century. The abundance of jade birds represented offer a fascinating window into both the role of jade and of the phoenix in Chinese culture. Phoenix (fenghuang) imagery was widespread throughout the many periods of Chinese history, and these masterful carvings were the talismans of the cultures that produced them. A belief in the importance of 'fortune' is an enduring, and charming, characteristic of Chinese mythology. But the phoenix is also a symbol of harmony, and so these talismans were—and are—symbols of hope. Works on view include a large, yet impossibly thin 'cloud' shaped pendant with bird figures from the Hongshan culture (4700-2500 BCE) and eccentric ornamental fittings and pendants from the Shang (1600–1100 BCE) and Zhou periods (1066– 221 BCE). From the Han Period (206 BCE–220 CE), there are pendants, belt hooks, and other adornments decorated with meticulously carved relief work. Other works included highlight the craftsmanship of the Tang (618 – 907 CE), Yuan (1279 – 1368 CE), and Qing (1644–1912 CE) periods. Separated by millennia, these cultures differ in their visual language, yet all exhibit a reverence for avian imagery. All of the objects on display are exceedingly rare. Other highlights include a group of gilt Warring States pendants and a stunning 18th-century 'marriage phoenix' comprised of two halves that, when brought together, form a single white jade pendant. A catalogue accompanies the exhibition and includes an erudite history of Chinese jade birds by the foremost expert on the subject, Gu Fang, Senior Fellow of the Institute of Archeology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing. The jade carvings exhibited were collected by Spencer Throckmorton over a 27 year period, and each has been thoroughly studied and vetted by Mr Fang. We are in the process of revising our privacy policy. If you would like to unsubscribe click [here](. [Follow Us] [Facebook]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Instagram]( [Been forwarded this email and want to receive it regularly? Subscribe to this newsletter]( Copyright © 2023 Hali Publications Limited, All rights reserved. [unsubscribe from this list]( [update subscription preferences](