Antique Panels – Wood Carving of Bamboo and Plum Blossoms- Set of 2

This pair of framed wood panels has held a lot of interest for me that may not be shared. I know this is a very audacious thing to say and I do not wish to be disrecpectful. But it is a small known fact that there was a group of eccentric painters who was active in the late Ming Dynasty, early 17th century. These painters were known for their stylization of what they saw and expressed their idealized images on their art. The bamboo and plum blossom carvings remind me so much of the stylized trees in their eccentric paintings. Most traditional Chinese paintings are static, but here the objects in the carvings really come to life with the oversize birds in the foreground of the bamboo trees. The way the birds are lined up on the bottom of the plum blossom carving is so far out of the realm of what is expected of bird and flower painting tradition. It borders on the line of whimsy.

Perhaps my enthusiasm may not be shared but most can agree they are fine examples of wood carvings. The wood carvers were very bold in their presentation and expressed their skills in their attempts to present three dimensional images. Their ability to carve over and under produced interesting presentations of birds and trees.

The wood carvings are framed and both have brass hangers.