E77-E78 Red Topaz Lotus Cup and Jue Cup (One pair)

E77-E78 Red Topaz Lotus Cup and Jue Cup (one pair)

Jade carving in the Warring States period, with its exquisite and meticulous features, was gradually freed from the shackles of the graphic art of the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Under the influence of the realistic painting art at that time, it embarked on the road of independent development, showing a new look in the creative trend of thought, design, conception, artistic expression, technical sculpture, etc., creating an unprecedented exquisite and vivid image, a new type of jade with high artistic attainments. This is closely related to the spirit of the times, the reform of tools, the wide range of jade materials, the accumulation of experience, and the current trend of art. The jade materials are extensive, and the rare Red Topaz is used for these two artifacts.            

Red Topaz: it was called "imperial jade" in ancient times. It is extremely precious and rare.           

 In the Ming Dynasty, Gao Fuyan had a very high evaluation of topaz, saying, "the topmost color of jade is orange, the second is lanolin, the middle color is yellow, and it is not easy to get it; the white color is partial, and it is also known from time to time.". "            

In ancient times, topaz was called "gantopaz" because of its yellow color like steamed millet. It was also called "Red Topaz" because of its red color like cinnabar dots or slices.            

It is said in the foreign countries of the Ming Dynasty that "in the Jiajing period, the jade Marquis of the sun altar in Fangqiu was made, and the red and yellow jade could not be purchased, but the envoys were sent to find it in Adan.". "It can be seen how precious and rare the ancient Red Topaz is!

E77 Red Topaz Lotus Cup with Divine Beast (Diameter: 8.53cm, Height: 4.80cm)

This artifact is: eight petal lotus shaped, and the bottom is also in the shape of eight half arc petals; the jade cup has eight God Beasts (six divine beasts have horns, looking up to the sky; two divine beasts have no horns, and their heads are smaller, but their heads are looking forward). These two heads look down on the different beasts, and they separate the six divine beasts on their heads in order. Eight animal tails are carved with a hole.            

There are four characters engraved on the eight plain spaces between the divine beasts (the characters need to be verified)            

Overall view: the body is fluent and elegant, antique, innovative design is unique, never seen before; the carving is exquisite, the strength is fine and precise, the wall is even and thin, exquisite and beautiful, and the beast looks magnificent and powerful! This is really a treasure loved by the monarch, not enjoyed by ordinary nobles! Unparalleled in the world!