East Asia, China, late Qing to early Republic period, ca. 17th to 19th century CE. An impressive pair of hand-carved wood relief panels embellished with red and gold-hued lacquer, as well as a lustrous gilding in areas. The skillfully sculpted panels each display scenes of 2 gilt figures with a sand and resin background. The first shows the figures in the foreground with their backs to one another, one wearing a flat-topped hat and the other carrying an umbrella, as they seem to begin walking in opposite directions with a palace or city walls featured at the right of the scene. Alternatively, the second relief shows the same figure with an umbrella, this time with the palace or city walls to the left and another person in the background, who points off into the distance. Size (both the same): 13.25" W x 7" H (33.7 cm x 17.8 cm)

Provenance: private southern California, USA collection, acquired before 2000

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#159138

Only the figures are gilt. Some light softening of detail and minor losses to gilding and paint. Otherwise, intact and excellent with nice earthen deposits