Chinese Spinach Jade Screen in Hardwood Stand
Late Qing Dynasty, 19th century
Nephrite (“spinach jade”), hardwood with gilt accents
34 × 39 ¼ x 11 in.
This monumental panel is carved from nephrite jade, often called “spinach jade” for its rich, dark green coloration mottled with black inclusions. The detailed low-relief scene portrays a grand ceremonial procession, with attendants, officials, and mythological figures surrounding a central seated figure within an elaborate architectural gateway.
The jade panel is mounted in a finely carved hardwood stand with openwork scrolls and gilt roundels bearing auspicious characters symbolizing longevity, prosperity, and harmony. Spinach jade carvings were especially prized in the Qing dynasty, valued not only for their rarity and beauty but also as emblems of wealth, status, and cultural refinement.
