Hardwood figure of Liu Hai, possibly zitan, 19th century — front view

Liu Hai and the Golden Toad: A Chinese Hardwood Figure

Some carvings impress by scale. This one does the opposite. It is a figure of Liu Hai, the Daoist immortal of wealth, carved in mid-Qing-dynasty China from a dense dark hardwood — possibly zitan — and standing just 12 cm high — an object made for a desk or a counter, to be seen at … Continue reading Liu Hai and the Golden Toad: A Chinese Hardwood Figure →