清 珊瑚女仙童子|Fairy and immortal boy
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Coral
Dimensions
H. 9 3/16 in. (23.3 cm)
Classification
Sculpture
Culture & Period
China · Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Mary Stillman Harkness, 1950
Accession Number
50.145.156
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite coral sculpture, titled *Fairy and Immortal Boy* (清 珊瑚女仙童子), hails from China's Qing dynasty (16441911), crafted by an unknown artist in the19th century. Standing just 9 3/16 inches (23.3 cm) tall, it depicts a graceful female fairy accompanied by an immortal boy—figures drawn from Daoist mythology, where such beings symbolize eternal youth, harmony, and spiritual enlightenment. These whimsical companions evoke the Qing era's fascination with the supernatural, blending elegance with playful innocence. Carved from precious red coral, a rare luxury material imported from the Medi...