Description
BUY WITH CONFIDENCE. GUARANTEED AUTHENTIC AND AS DESCRIBED OR YOUR MONEY BACK This outstanding piece is one of the best of class examples of Chinese wood carving we have seen (and we’ve been doing this for 35 years)! Today we are honored to present for sale a magnificent antique Chinese carved wood Dragon Yin figural panel! Believed to be late Qing dynasty, this outstanding and magnificent piece is the epitome of high Chinese wood carving artistry and design. The panel beautifully displays the contrast of the beauty of nature (rough textured bark) with the finely carved high skill and artistry of the creator (mankind). This one-of-a-kind piece features a highly intricate, multi-layered three-dimensional carving depiction of a yin and yang dragon. The Dragon is the symbol of imperial authority in China. According to Chinese legend, both Chinese primogenitors, the earliest Door and the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi), were closely related to ‘Long’ (Chinese dragon). At the end of his reign, the first legendary ruler, the Yellow Emperor, was said to have been immortalized into a dragon that resembled his emblem, and ascended to Heaven. The other legendary ruler, the Yan Emperor, was born by his mother’s telepathy with a mythical dragon. Since the Chinese consider the Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor as their ancestors, they sometimes refer to themselves as “the descendants of the dragon”. This legend also contributed towards the use of the Chinese dragon as a symbol of imperial power. Dragons (usually with five claws on each foot) were a symbol for the emperor in many Chinese dynasties. During the Qing dynasty, the imperial dragon was colored yellow or gold, and during the Ming dynasty it was red. The imperial throne was referred to as the Dragon Throne. During the late Qing dynasty, the dragon was even adopted as the national flag. Dragons are featured in carvings on the stairs and walkways of imperial palaces and imperial tombs, such as at the Forbidden City in Beijing. In some Chinese legends, an emperor might be born with a birthmark in the shape of a dragon. For example, one legend tells the tale of a peasant born with a dragon birthmark who eventually overthrows the existing dynasty and founds a new one; another legend might tell of the prince in hiding from his enemies who is identified by his dragon birthmark. In Chinese philosophy, yin and yang (“dark-bright”/ “negative-positive”) is a concept of dualism in ancient Chinese philosophy, describing how seemingly opposite or contrary forces may actually be complementary, interconnected, and interdependent in the natural world, and how they may give rise to each other as they interrelate to one another. The energy of the dragon is considered very powerful in traditional feng shui. … Power, indisputable authority, and fearsome majesty are mostly masculine (yang) qualities, and the dragon represents the true Yang part of the Yin-Yang energy of the dragon and phoenix (empress) couple. This large, powerful, and imposing panel features meticulous and seemingly impossibly-precise carving and detailed. The artist not only possessed design and carving skills but also engineering as to accurately assess which areas to carve and how deep to carve to create the three dimensional detailing. The piece features a background of carved wood layers depicting meandering clouds. The piece-de-resistance is the imposing and majestic dragon. He is depicted ascending upwards with his right front paw held up with a floating yin and yang sphere suspended above it. The dragon features highly carved details, with great attention paid to the depiction and different textures of his scales, talons, and spikes. The details are nearly all three dimensional and can be noticed when admiring the piece from any angle. This is a piece that must be seen in person to fully comprehend the amount of work that was put into it. The dragon is life-like and full of energy and power. The mightiness of the piece also comes from the tree trunk it was carved out of. The noble tree, even in it’s reduced state, is a revered symbol in China because it is ancient and eternal, beautiful and powerful, serene and mysterious. The panel includes two steel brackets for wall-mounting (appear to be more recently added). The piece may also be adapted with a base to be used on a flat surface. The reverse side has an old marking,presumably from a previous owner. Panel presents beautifully and is in very good antique condition, with very minor display wear and patina commensurate with age. The wood has minor age and weather-related natural flaws, with some minute stable fractures and small losses. Due to the age, highly intricate and fragile nature of this piece inevitable flaws and minor repairs are to be expected; most such flaws likely occurred during the carving process and were repaired and re-incorporated into the piece by the artist himself. There are a few small and hard to notice chips to some sharper edges of carvings that do not detract from the awesomeness of this treasure. This truly stunning work of Chinese fine art will add scholarly refinement and elegance to any interior it graces! This outstanding piece will be the focal point of any room AND conversation piece of any room. A fabulous piece of Chinese art like this won’t last long…Get it soon! Dimensions: 40″ in height, 18″ in width, 5-1/2″ in depth NOTE: Shipping cost includes full insurance. We do not mark up shipping. This item is also available for local pick-up in Pawtucket, RI. Please message us to coordinate pick up! 19GW/1547/K/F