Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

Ashmolean − Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

The Barlow Collection

A select catalogue of the Barlow collection of Chinese Ceramics, Bronzes and Jades by the University of Sussex (published Sussex, 2006).

The Barlow Collection by the University of Sussex

Publications online: 456 objects

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Disc with dragons and phoenixes

  • loan
  • Literature notes

    The flat circular disc has a narrow central hole and a striding dragon on the rim, as if walking around it. The piece is worked from an opaque pale greenish-white stone with dark grey veins and dark grey patches around the outside. Both sides are similarly decorated with an elaborate scrollwork border composed of stylized dragons and phoenixes surrounding a band of ‘grain’ pattern, all enclosed between plain raised bands. The grain pattern consists of raised bosses, arranged on a regular diaper grid which is faintly visible on the ground. The scrollwork pattern is raised in relief and composed on each side of two pairs of dragons, arranged obliquely to the dragon on the rim and confronted around a scroll motif on one side, and an angled arabesque motif on the other. The animals are depicted with curling bodies and long scrolling tails, the features, claws and tufts of hair finely engraved. Each side further has a phoenix head on a long neck with indicated feathers entwined among the scrolling tails. The dragon on the rim is cut in silhouette, with a winged tiger-like body, scrolling mane and long scrolling tail, also with hair finely detailed, and with cloud motifs on either side.
  • Details

    Associated place
    Asia China (place of creation)
    Date
    1st - 2nd century AD (AD 1 - 200)
    Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25 - 220)
    Material and technique
    jade, with carved decoration; hole, drilled
    Dimensions
    19.5 x 16.4 x 0.8 cm (height x width x depth)
    Material index
    Technique index
    formed carved,
    Object type index
    No. of items
    1
    Credit line
    Lent by the Sir Alan Barlow Collection Trust.
    Accession no.
    LI1301.30
  • Further reading

    University of Sussex, and Arts and Humanities Research Council, The Barlow Collection, supervised by Regina Krahl, Maurice Howard, and Aiden Leeves (Sussex: University of Sussex, 2006), no. J16

Location

    • currently in research collection

Objects are sometimes moved to a different location. Our object location data is usually updated on a monthly basis. Contact the Jameel Study Centre if you are planning to visit the museum to see a particular object on display, or would like to arrange an appointment to see an object in our reserve collections.

 

Publications online

  • The Barlow Collection by the University of Sussex

    The Barlow Collection

    The flat circular disc has a narrow central hole and a striding dragon on the rim, as if walking around it. The piece is worked from an opaque pale greenish-white stone with dark grey veins and dark grey patches around the outside. Both sides are similarly decorated with an elaborate scrollwork border composed of stylized dragons and phoenixes surrounding a band of ‘grain’ pattern, all enclosed between plain raised bands. The grain pattern consists of raised bosses, arranged on a regular diaper grid which is faintly visible on the ground. The scrollwork pattern is raised in relief and composed on each side of two pairs of dragons, arranged obliquely to the dragon on the rim and confronted around a scroll motif on one side, and an angled arabesque motif on the other. The animals are depicted with curling bodies and long scrolling tails, the features, claws and tufts of hair finely engraved. Each side further has a phoenix head on a long neck with indicated feathers entwined among the scrolling tails. The dragon on the rim is cut in silhouette, with a winged tiger-like body, scrolling mane and long scrolling tail, also with hair finely detailed, and with cloud motifs on either side.
Notice

Object information may not accurately reflect the actual contents of the original publication, since our online objects contain current information held in our collections database. Click on 'buy this publication' to purchase printed versions of our online publications, where available, or contact the Jameel Study Centre to arrange access to books on our collections that are now out of print.

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