DOI Heft:
No. 333 (December 1920)
DOI Artikel:Sheringham, George: The flower sculptors of China
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21401#0191
THE FLOWER SCULPTORS OF CHINA
denied the title of sculptor, which in the stood and appreciated by the Chinese
true sense of the word they are fully en- than by any other nation not excepting
titled to ; for if any workers deserve this the Japanese, whose half humorous en-
designation it is surely those Chinese men thusiasm is so famous ; but Korin, the
who worked the hardest known stones and great Japanese artist (well known in the
gems into forms of imperishable beauty. 0 West), approached his flower subjects in
The great value of the stones—Jadeite, the same spirit as the Chinese sculptors
Nephrite, Chalcedony, Rose Quartz, Rock —with a reverence akin to worship. These
Crystal, Agate and the like in which they artists are no mere copyists reproducing
worked—has perhaps been the means of petal by petal some particular bloom,
diverting the attention of collectors and Rather they seem to have sought the
others from a right appreciation of these essence of the flower-type—which each
carvings to, instead, a study of the wonder- blossom reveals in part and which the
ful stones themselves with their intrinsic flowers of the whole tree reveal complete,
beauties. Were these sculptures to be Take for instance the magnolia carving
reproduced even in modelling clay they shown in our first illustration ; the piece
would still remain objects for our un- is carved from a flawless block of white
stinted admiration. 0000 Jadeite — how perfect the simplification
It is the purpose of these notes only to of the sheath-like petals characteristic
dwell on the Chinese carvings of flowers of the flower! Many seasons must have
and fruits in hard-stones and not to deal passed, generations of magnolias blossomed
with the figures, vases and other objects and fallen while this nameless Chinese
used in ceremonies and for a thousand sculptor laboured with amazing con-
other purposes, which the jade workers centration and infinite patience—shaping
of long past ages have bequeathed to the jade with his ruby drill and diamond-
posterity ; nor are they concerned with sand and never relinquishing for a moment
the large carvings of softer stone and of his original conception of a flower formed
wood which are generally implied by from a precious stone, which should
" Chinese Sculpture." 000 present as a single bloom the symbol and
Flowers are perhaps more deeply under- essence of all magnolia flowers. 0 0
J A D E GOURD
(Victoria and Albert
Museum)
denied the title of sculptor, which in the stood and appreciated by the Chinese
true sense of the word they are fully en- than by any other nation not excepting
titled to ; for if any workers deserve this the Japanese, whose half humorous en-
designation it is surely those Chinese men thusiasm is so famous ; but Korin, the
who worked the hardest known stones and great Japanese artist (well known in the
gems into forms of imperishable beauty. 0 West), approached his flower subjects in
The great value of the stones—Jadeite, the same spirit as the Chinese sculptors
Nephrite, Chalcedony, Rose Quartz, Rock —with a reverence akin to worship. These
Crystal, Agate and the like in which they artists are no mere copyists reproducing
worked—has perhaps been the means of petal by petal some particular bloom,
diverting the attention of collectors and Rather they seem to have sought the
others from a right appreciation of these essence of the flower-type—which each
carvings to, instead, a study of the wonder- blossom reveals in part and which the
ful stones themselves with their intrinsic flowers of the whole tree reveal complete,
beauties. Were these sculptures to be Take for instance the magnolia carving
reproduced even in modelling clay they shown in our first illustration ; the piece
would still remain objects for our un- is carved from a flawless block of white
stinted admiration. 0000 Jadeite — how perfect the simplification
It is the purpose of these notes only to of the sheath-like petals characteristic
dwell on the Chinese carvings of flowers of the flower! Many seasons must have
and fruits in hard-stones and not to deal passed, generations of magnolias blossomed
with the figures, vases and other objects and fallen while this nameless Chinese
used in ceremonies and for a thousand sculptor laboured with amazing con-
other purposes, which the jade workers centration and infinite patience—shaping
of long past ages have bequeathed to the jade with his ruby drill and diamond-
posterity ; nor are they concerned with sand and never relinquishing for a moment
the large carvings of softer stone and of his original conception of a flower formed
wood which are generally implied by from a precious stone, which should
" Chinese Sculpture." 000 present as a single bloom the symbol and
Flowers are perhaps more deeply under- essence of all magnolia flowers. 0 0
J A D E GOURD
(Victoria and Albert
Museum)