Cleveland Museum of Art

Prunus Wood

Date

1700–1899

Medium

wood carving

Culture

China, Qing dynasty (1644-1911)

Department

Chinese Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The gnarled and twisted form of a prunus stump is carved to accentuate its naturally textured surface. The body is finely polished to create a lustrous patina. Simple wood carvings like this exemplify the Chinese scholars’ taste for natural forms and rustic materials, which in turn reflect the desire to retreat into nature. They were collected and displayed as decorative works of art in the traditional scholars’ studios.

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