Description
Seated side by side on elaborate dragon thrones, this pair of densely carved figures depicts a Chinese emperor and empress in full court dress. Each wears a multi-layered robe covered in dragon medallions, cloud scrolls, and stylized wave patterns at the hem, with a long string of beaded prayer beads draped from the neck to the lap. Both figures wear tall, pierced court crowns topped with a removable spindle-form finial carved with floral and dragon motifs, and each holds an object in hand — the emperor grips a beaded strand, while the empress holds a small carved tablet.
The thrones themselves are carved in high relief with dragon heads flanking the shoulders and openwork dragon-and-cloud panels forming the chair backs, raised on plinths carved with rolling wave designs. The underside of each base carries a carved oval seal-style cartouche with characters associated with the Qianlong reign mark, a mark commonly seen on later Chinese carved figures of this style. Based on photographed measurements against a tape, each figure stands approximately 13 to 15 inches tall.
The pale carved material shows an attractive aged patina overall, with the pierced crowns displaying a noticeably darker toned surface consistent with age and handling. Undersides show remnants of old paper labels and adhesive residue, along with light surface scratching. Minor edge nicks and small losses to some of the finer pierced carving are visible, consistent with age and normal handling over time.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.