Chinese Carving of a Kneeling Ram
DateQing Dynasty, possibly 19th century
Object NameCarving
Mediumsoapstone
ClassificationsApplied Art
DimensionsOverall: Height: 13.9 cm, Width: 3.9 cm 3.6 cm
AcquisitionBequeathed in 1928 by Miss Ann Reid.
LocationView by Appointment - Aberdeen Treasure Hub
Object numberABDMS014477
About MeChinese carved red/grey soapstone figure of a kneeling ram on a pediment.The ram is an important symbol within Chinese culture and is one of the zodiac animals. Those who are born under this sign are said to be creative thinkers.
Hardstone carving is a form of decorative art that has been a part of Chinese culture for over 3,000 years. This is largely due to many of the precious and semi-precious stones used, such as jade, turquoise, malachite, quartz and agate, occurring naturally in certain territories of China.
These different types of stones feature a wide variety of properties that Chinese artists were able to exploit, incorporating the natural coloration and textural qualities of the stones into their designs. Soapstone in particular has a wide colour range, from white through to almost black, depending on its composition. It is so named because of its soap like texture that derives from a 30% to 80% talc content, which also gives it its softness, making it easy to intricately carve.
Qing Dynasty, possibly 19th century
Qing Dynasty, possibly 19th century
Possibly 19th century
Qing Dynasty, possibly 19th century
Qing Dynasty, 19th century
Qing Dynasty, possibly 19th century
Qing Dynasty, possibly 19th century
James Cromar Watt
Qing Dynasty, 18th - 19th century
19th Century
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