Jade crouching sheep

[Jade Crouching Sheep]

Jade Crouching Sheep, Han, height 3.1 cm, length 5 cm, width 2.2 cm. The old collection of the Qing Palace
The jade sheep is a round sculpture, the jade material is bluish white, and there are brown spots in some parts. The sheep is lying on its back with its head raised and its eyes in front of it. The eyes are carved into a circle with a negative line, and the outer circle is added with an arc. The two corners are bent at the back of the head on both sides, and the neck and both sides of the body are decorated with parallel short lines as wool. Kneel together with the front foot, and lie down with the back foot under the abdomen
The shape of the jade sheep has appeared since the Shang Dynasty. In the Han Dynasty, the shape of the round carved jade sheep has been very accurate. Most of them are static recumbent, with fat body, plump back, short neck, mouth like tenon, and the horn of the sheep is finely carved, large and exaggerated, generally spiraling downward, and the sheep body is decorated with fine lines. Such jade sheep are used as jade towns or furnishings.