DOI article:
Lorden, L. W. C.: Chinese hard stone cutting
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43452#0063
Chinese Hard Stone Cutting
CHINESE HARD STONE CUT-
TING. BY L. W. C. LORDEN,
A.R.I.B.A.
Now that Chinese art is receiving so much
attention and large prices are being paid for good
old pieces of work, I am surprised that nobody has
yet done justice to their workers in gem and other
hard stones, who unaffected by foreign influence
are still turning out very good work. As for many
years I have been a collector of these stones, both
old and new, I hope I may be able to interest a
few in this most ancient artistic
craft.
The Chinese gem and stone
cutter of to day is working on
much the same lines as those
followed by the Greek and Roman
workers in stone. He prefers to
cut cameos and intaglios rather
than to cut every beautiful stone
into facets and get that glittering
effect which seems to be the only
point now aimed at by the
European cutter. I am quite
certain, however, that the Chinese
have long been familiar with
facet cutting, for from most
remote times they have carried
on a big trade with India in stones cut in this
fashion.
The idea of the Chinese cutter when he finds a
stone to work on, is to cut it into some object
which can be worn as a charm; and at the same
time he tries to take advantage of any defects
which the stone, from a European point of view, may
possess and make them add to the beauty of his
design. A glance at No. 2 in the page of coloured
reproductions will show what is meant. Here a
clear agate has been cut to represent a small boy,
but adhering to the agate are pieces of brown
stone. Instead of these being
cut away, one piece has been
carved to represent his hair (the
Chinese boys have their heads
shaved except for a small tuft),
and another piece has been
worked to represent two shoes he
is carrying slung over his shoulder,
for it must be borne in mind that
in good Chinese work there is no
back, one side being as good as
another.
As jade has been the most
prized of the hard stones by
the Chinese, I will explain
how the craftsman proceeds by
assuming that he has purchased
SQUIRREL EATING A MELON
(CORAL)
THE CHINESE STONE CUTTER AT HIS WHEEL CUTTING A PIECE OF JADE INTO SHAPE. THE WHEEL IS WORKED
BY MEANS OF A BELT OR CORD KEPT IN MOTION BY THE FEET
51
CHINESE HARD STONE CUT-
TING. BY L. W. C. LORDEN,
A.R.I.B.A.
Now that Chinese art is receiving so much
attention and large prices are being paid for good
old pieces of work, I am surprised that nobody has
yet done justice to their workers in gem and other
hard stones, who unaffected by foreign influence
are still turning out very good work. As for many
years I have been a collector of these stones, both
old and new, I hope I may be able to interest a
few in this most ancient artistic
craft.
The Chinese gem and stone
cutter of to day is working on
much the same lines as those
followed by the Greek and Roman
workers in stone. He prefers to
cut cameos and intaglios rather
than to cut every beautiful stone
into facets and get that glittering
effect which seems to be the only
point now aimed at by the
European cutter. I am quite
certain, however, that the Chinese
have long been familiar with
facet cutting, for from most
remote times they have carried
on a big trade with India in stones cut in this
fashion.
The idea of the Chinese cutter when he finds a
stone to work on, is to cut it into some object
which can be worn as a charm; and at the same
time he tries to take advantage of any defects
which the stone, from a European point of view, may
possess and make them add to the beauty of his
design. A glance at No. 2 in the page of coloured
reproductions will show what is meant. Here a
clear agate has been cut to represent a small boy,
but adhering to the agate are pieces of brown
stone. Instead of these being
cut away, one piece has been
carved to represent his hair (the
Chinese boys have their heads
shaved except for a small tuft),
and another piece has been
worked to represent two shoes he
is carrying slung over his shoulder,
for it must be borne in mind that
in good Chinese work there is no
back, one side being as good as
another.
As jade has been the most
prized of the hard stones by
the Chinese, I will explain
how the craftsman proceeds by
assuming that he has purchased
SQUIRREL EATING A MELON
(CORAL)
THE CHINESE STONE CUTTER AT HIS WHEEL CUTTING A PIECE OF JADE INTO SHAPE. THE WHEEL IS WORKED
BY MEANS OF A BELT OR CORD KEPT IN MOTION BY THE FEET
51