Vaas – Carnelian agate – China – Qing Dynastie (1644-1911) – Tree trunk vase or washer

A fine Chinese red carnelian agate ‘tree trunk’ vase or washer.Qing dynasty, 18th-19th century.Cleverly hollowed out and carved in relief as a section of a tree trunk, the exterior with gnarled leafy tree branches issuing peaches, flanked by two lingzhi and a bat flying in upward motion.Symbolism:Bat (fu 蝠), peach (tao 桃), and fungus (lingzhi 靈芝) combined make a rebus: “May your heart be filled with intelligence when blessings arrive” (fuzhi xinling 福至心靈). The saying literally means “May you be inspired when blessings arrive.” In this instance, the peach has a cleft, giving it a heart-shaped (xin 心) appearance. Thus the peach symbolizes a person’s heart. The fungus (lingzhi 靈芝) is a pun for “intelligence” (ling 靈). Note:The heart symbolization is emphasized by the overall carving which, besides depicting a tree trunk, also closely resembles the human heart-shape, adding a different layer to the overall quality of the piece. The symbolism is especially expressed when held against the light (see photo 2 and 7) whereby the natural veining and inclusions of the stone become beautifully visible.Dimensions:Height 7.8 cm, width 9.5 cm, depth 5.5 cm.Condition: A small chip to the base rim and one peach broken off.Ref:Compare with other carvings bearing... lees verder bij Catawiki