Open Book with Poem by Du Fu Describing the Eight Immortals
Qing dynasty (1644–1911), late 17th–early 18th century
Medium
Ivory, text carved and inked
Dimensions
13.1 × 8 × 2.3 cm (5 3/16 × 3 1/8 × 15/16 in.)
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
220692
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This three-dimensional ivory carving, in the shape of a miniaturized book, showcases the ingenious use of the material and its visual and physical properties. Here, the natural color and texture of ivory smoothly translate into the depicted surface of paper in a printed book. The text is first carved and then filled with ink, which materially brings the carved object closer to its real-life counterpart. Details such as the curved pages from the folding and the descending edges printed with the b...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...