COLLECTION NAME:
National Palace English
Record
Work ID:
M01Q00010
Title:
Gnarled wood carving of the auspicious deer and lingzhi motifs
Creation Date:
Qing Dynasty
Start Year Date:
A.D.1644
End Year Date:
A.D.1911
Dynasty:
63 Qing Dynasty (A.D. 1644~1911)
Creation Place:
China
Measurements:
Height: 46 cm (including the stand); length: 23 cm (the deer); weight: 1551g (including the stand)
Material:
Wood
Type:
Wood and Bamboo Carvings
Subject:
Animals
Repository:
The National Palace Museum, Taipei
Description:
The deer is shaped and carved from natural tree roots. The knobbles imitate the natural patterns on the deerskin (with some artificially glued). In the mouth the deer holds a lingzhi, which are two pieces glued separately on each side of the mouth. The head has two ears, and two horns that are made from natural tree buds. With its long legs, the deer stands on a pedestal that imitates a rock. The stand is also made of natural tree roots, whose top and bottom are glued a piece of smooth board. The deer and the stand are sculpted from roots that come from the same type of tree and the same carving technique and thus reveal a harmonious aura. "Deer" and "emoluments" in Chinese characters are phonetically the same, and thus the deer symbolizes emoluments. Legendarily, the deer is also a heavenly animal.
ImageV ID:
M01Q00010AS002
Rights:
Lee & Lee Communications