The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 19, 2025

Reclining Water Buffalo

1642–1722

China, Qing Dynasty

(1644-1911), Kangxi reign (1642-1722)
Jade
Overall: 6.2 x 7.7 cm (2 7/16 x 3 1/16 in.)
Gift of Mrs. John Lyon Collyer in memory of her mother, Mrs. G. M. G. Forman 1962.223
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

This jade buffalo may have been used as a paperweight on a scholar's desk.

Description

In the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties, luxury items became more affordable to larger parts of the society, including women, merchants, and literati in non-official positions. Imperial patronage and a growing urban population encouraged consumption of luxury goods and local craftmanship.

This jade buffalo illustrates the superb carving skills and the creative mind of its accomplished creator, who sought clients on a competitive market.
  • ?–1962
    Mrs. John Lyon [Georgia Forman Elliott] Collyer [1898–1994], Akron, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1962–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Lee, Sherman E. “Year in Review 1962.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art, vol. 49, no. 9, 1962, pp. 199–227. Mentioned: p. 224, no. 76 www.jstor.org
    Michigan Oriental Art Society, and Cranbrook Institute of Science. Chinese Jades, the Great Tradition: Exhibition Sponsored Jointly by Michigan Oriental Art Society and Cranbrook Institute of Science at Cranbrook Institute of Science ... Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. [Michigan]: The Society, 1977. Reproduced: cat. 39, p. 17
  • China through the Magnifying Glass: Masterpieces in Miniature and Detail. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 11, 2022-February 26, 2023).
    Chinese Jades: The Great Tradition. Cranbrook Institute of Science, Bloomfield Hills, MI (organizer) (September 10-October 31, 1977).
    Year in Review - 1962. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 24-November 25, 1962).
  • {{cite web|title=Reclining Water Buffalo|url=false|author=|year=1642–1722|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1962.223