清 珊瑚女仙童子|Fairy and immortal boy

Unknown Artist

19th century

清 珊瑚女仙童子|Fairy and immortal boy by Unknown Artist

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

BoysWomen

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...

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