Oriental Ship Rudder. Wood, Metal. Late 18th - Early 19th Century.

Oriental ship's wheel, late 18th - early 19th century. Carved wood and brass.
Oriental ship's wheel of English influence, made of high-quality carved brass and wood. The upper part of the wheel is worked in a rounded shape and takes the form of a greyhound's head with stylized features. The greyhound is a typical motif of English decorative arts of the period, but its essential treatment, elongated and sinuous, reminds us that we are in the presence of a piece of oriental craftsmanship. Indeed, the central area of the wheel is entirely carved with the figure of a dragon coiled around the mast. This mythical animal represents the power of change in nature, the Tao, as well as the concept of yang (masculine), and is linked to time as the bringer of rain and water. It is also often used as a national symbol of China and in fact appeared on the national flag until the end of the Qing dynasty. It is depicted here with great attention to detail, demonstrating a virtuosity typical of oriental ornamental sculpture: we see each of the dragon's scales, and even the ripples of the water beneath its body, the leaves among which it swims... The lower third of the rudder is almost entirely devoid of ornaments and has a smooth, slightly curved profile. At its end, it is decorated with a simple hollow sculpture, with a geometric motif on two planes. -
Size: 10x10x160 cm