Despite its fierce appearance, this creature holds a fragile cup in its mouth with great delicacy. The opening on the back allowed the owner to fill it with water, which then trickled into the cup.

This jade would have been a prized object on a Chinese scholar's desk, where it would have provided the water to mix with ground ink. The figure's archaic form, especially the "winged" cup, reflects the antiquarian interests of the artist and the jade's owner.

Courtesy of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Arthur M. Sackler.