When we reached the post of Dongtou, an island off Wenzhou, China, on the South China Sea, it had been raining for two days. I was glad to be inside, visiting the Donghai Shell Carving Art Museum. It turned out to be a fun and fascinating place.
The museum displays a variety of objects with shell carvings, objects using mother of pearl for inlays, and objects with other materials as inlays. This very big and intricately carved shell shows five fierce dragons around the perimeter and another inside. Zoom in to enjoy it up close.
Here is a second intricately carved shell of similar size. Both are at least two feet wide.
Isn't this a gorgeous piece?
How about this one?
This is a smaller round piece with lovely iridescent inlay.
There are four or five large rooms displaying classical wood furniture with wonderful inlays.
When the museum tour ended, we went into an adjoining workshop. On the tables there were small black boxes with line patterns already etched, with flower shapes carved out, and with small pre-cut shell pieces. We brushed gold paint into the lines and hunted the shell pieces to glue into the flower patterns. We then rubbed the surface carefully with alcohol to remove the excess. This is my box. How did I do?
1 comment:
Impressive work.
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