Jade ship, dragon boat, Chinese sailing ship junk

A jade ship, a Chinese sailing vessel (junk) and dragon boat made of mint-green serpentine jade. The sculpture follows the classic iconographic standard anatomy with rudder, mast, sail and dragon head.

Serpentine (Mg,Fe)₃Si₂O₅(OH)₄ is classified as a jade material in Chinese tradition, alongside nephrite jade. The mint green color is created by the crystal lattice itself and is a characteristic property of the material.

Dragon boat and junk sculptures made of jade are among the classic East Asian sculptural themes. They symbolize maritime tradition, good fortune, and travel.

A sculpture of this architectural gallery dimension documents an exceptionally large selection of raw materials. Striking is the continuous processing from a single coherent serpentine block without visible material joints.

A top-class Chinese collector's item with documented sculptural tradition and museum gallery dimensions.