Cabbage and Beetle
Unknown Artist
mid-1700s
Medium
carved wood
Dimensions
h. 13.9 cm
Classification
Wood
Department
Chinese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Sundry Purchase Fund
Accession Number
1966.376
About this artwork
In the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), luxury items became more affordable to larger parts of the society, including women, merchants, and literati in non-official positions. Imperial patronage and a growing urban population encouraged consumption of luxury goods and local craftmanship. A superbly skilled carver created this small decorative object, reflecting scholarly taste of the period. This cabbage on a gnarled rock was carved from single piece of wood. There are openings between the stems, holes...