Carving exhibition draws blood from a stone
By Wang Jie |
August 10, 2012, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CARVINGS of China's "four famous stones" precisely utilize the minerals' shapes and varied colors to create sculpture that ranges in subject from an eggplant to an emperor's concubine emerging from her bath.
An exhibition of around 400 ancient, antique and modern stone carvings and seals is underway at Zhilei Art gallery through the end of the month.
The four famous stones are Shoushan stone from Fuzhou, Fujian Province; Qingtian stone from Qingtian County, Zhejiang Province; Changhua stone or chicken blood stone from Zhejiang's Changhua County; and Balin stone or bloodstone from Balin, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
The stones come in a range of colors, including vivid red and yellow, and many gradations.
As early as the Song Dynasty (960-1279), government officials and wealthy families collected works carved from these soft stones.
For example, Changhua stone, sometimes called the "king" of China's four famous stones, was discovered along Yuyuan Mountain near Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Because of its vivid red color, which comes from cinnabar, it was used to make official seals for the Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)
The works illustrate rare "oily" texture and multiple layers of color, as well as superb carving techniques.
"The value of the stone lies in both its mineral quality and craftsmanship," says Fan Tiejiong, owner of Zhilei Art that promotes the culture of Chinese stone appreciation. Stone collectors often asked craftsmen to create imaginative carvings based on original colors and shapes so that they could be appreciated as artwork in their homes.
"Naturally, the artist must use every part of the stone and waste as little as possible since the raw material is precious," Fan says.
Because of 3,000 years of mining, the original sources of the four famous stones have been virtually depleted, resulting in "insane" prices, he says. For example, a pair of Balin stone seals was auctioned last year for around 1.84 million yuan (US$288,902).
The exhibition highlight is the Qingtian stone carving titled "The Bath of the Emperor's Concubine" created by 73-year-old Zhang Aiting. The piece features a tableau of the graceful concubine accompanied by two servants. The drapery of her robe and curves of her body are clear.
A work titled "Eggplant" of Changhua stone makes use of colors from black and yellow to milky white.
Subjects include realistic and minutely carved figures, landscapes, birds and flowers, animals and vegetables, mythological creatures and seals or chops.
Date: Through August 31, 10am-5pm
Address: 23 Sijin Rd
An exhibition of around 400 ancient, antique and modern stone carvings and seals is underway at Zhilei Art gallery through the end of the month.
The four famous stones are Shoushan stone from Fuzhou, Fujian Province; Qingtian stone from Qingtian County, Zhejiang Province; Changhua stone or chicken blood stone from Zhejiang's Changhua County; and Balin stone or bloodstone from Balin, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
The stones come in a range of colors, including vivid red and yellow, and many gradations.
As early as the Song Dynasty (960-1279), government officials and wealthy families collected works carved from these soft stones.
For example, Changhua stone, sometimes called the "king" of China's four famous stones, was discovered along Yuyuan Mountain near Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Because of its vivid red color, which comes from cinnabar, it was used to make official seals for the Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)
The works illustrate rare "oily" texture and multiple layers of color, as well as superb carving techniques.
"The value of the stone lies in both its mineral quality and craftsmanship," says Fan Tiejiong, owner of Zhilei Art that promotes the culture of Chinese stone appreciation. Stone collectors often asked craftsmen to create imaginative carvings based on original colors and shapes so that they could be appreciated as artwork in their homes.
"Naturally, the artist must use every part of the stone and waste as little as possible since the raw material is precious," Fan says.
Because of 3,000 years of mining, the original sources of the four famous stones have been virtually depleted, resulting in "insane" prices, he says. For example, a pair of Balin stone seals was auctioned last year for around 1.84 million yuan (US$288,902).
The exhibition highlight is the Qingtian stone carving titled "The Bath of the Emperor's Concubine" created by 73-year-old Zhang Aiting. The piece features a tableau of the graceful concubine accompanied by two servants. The drapery of her robe and curves of her body are clear.
A work titled "Eggplant" of Changhua stone makes use of colors from black and yellow to milky white.
Subjects include realistic and minutely carved figures, landscapes, birds and flowers, animals and vegetables, mythological creatures and seals or chops.
Date: Through August 31, 10am-5pm
Address: 23 Sijin Rd
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