A VERY FINE CARVED BAMBOO 'HORSE AND FOAL' GROUP

17th century

Footnotes

十七世紀 竹雕子母馬擺件

The horse (ma 馬) embodies speed, perseverance, success, and nobility. Through homophones and idiomatic expressions, it is associated with numerous auspicious meanings. A well-known example is the phrase 'ma dao cheng gong' (馬到成功), which translates to 'success arrives with the horse'—a metaphor for rapid and effortless victory. In 17th-century China, however, horses would also have symbolised the aspirations and struggles of literati scholars, reflecting their search for a ruler who would recognise their talents, much like the legendary Bo Le discovering exceptional steeds. This metaphor gained prominence during the late Ming and early Qing dynasty, when many scholars faced displacement and uncertainty. Gong Kai's Emaciated Horse, though painted earlier, remained a powerful symbol of the unappreciated scholar, while later works, such as those by Castiglione, continued to explore the connection between noble horses and intellectual refinement; see See Zhongguo hui shu quan ji, vol.4, Beijing, 1999, p.44.

See a related carved jade 'horse and foal' group, Qing dynasty, in the collection of the Lüshun Museum, illustrated by Gu Fang, Chinese Jade in Traditional Collections (中國傳世玉器全集), vol.6, Beijing, 2010, p.171. See also a related bamboo 'monkey on horse' carving, Kangxi period, illustrated by Ip Yee and L.C.S.Tam, Chinese Bamboo Carving, Hong Kong, 1978, pp.252-253, pl.60.

Compare with a related unusual bamboo 'doe and fawn' group, 18th century, which was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 3 December 2008, lot 2302.