Hetian white jade vase with taotie, Qing dynasty

White Hetian jade vase. The piece is shaped like a ritual vase with a square cross-section, with an inverted conical base, a bulbous central belly and an elongated neck that expands towards the mouth. Two openwork handles in the shape of chilong dragons flank the neck, from whose jaws hang movable circular washers carved from the same block of stone. The surface is adorned with incised and relief details of stylised taotie masks decorating the central register, flanked by fretwork patterns. The piece rests on a custom-carved wooden base with openwork motifs. Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

Size: 17 x 7.2 x 7.2 cm

Weight: 805 g