Cleveland Museum of Art

Tree Root

Date

before 1800s

Medium

wood with carved base

Culture

China, Qing dynasty (1644-1911)

Department

Chinese Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Here, the twists and turns, ebb and flow of the natural form of the tree root can be interpreted as the energy that gives life and the endless transformations in the universe. The rugged appearance is appreciated for its association with the aesthetic concepts of eccentricity and archaism in Chinese art. Root sculptures are shaped by the inherent nature of the root rather than being carved.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.