Set of jade figures ‘The Twelve Signs of the Zodiac’, Qing dynast

Set of twelve small figures carved from Hetian jade, white with dark ochre veins. Each piece is a zoomorphic representation of the animals of the zodiac (rat, horse, ox, goat, tiger, monkey, rooster, dragon, dog, snake and pig) with a human body and animal head.

The figures are shown seated, dressed in long tunics meticulously carved in relief, some of them carrying traditional attributes. The beasts, with their heads raised and their gaze fixed ahead, have serene, meditative expressions, which give the set a solemn aura.

Size: 5 x 1.8 x 3 cm (approx.).

Total weight: 358 g