Pair Of Flowering Trees Carved From Hardstone And Cloisonné – 19th-century China

An elegant pair of small Chinese flowering trees, featuring flowers and foliage delicately carved from various hard stones.

The flowers, with their beautiful orange and translucent hues, are likely made of agate-carnelian, paired with flowers carved from a light, translucent stone. The foliage, a very dark green, is entirely carved and finely veined.

The various elements are assembled on slender metal frames wrapped in textile threads, following the traditional technique used for these compositions. The trunks, which are particularly lifelike, are modeled to resemble aged bark.

Each tree is presented in a small cloisonné-enameled copper planter, richly decorated in polychrome with precious objects, flowers, and foliage against turquoise and deep blue backgrounds. The underside is also turquoise-enameled.

A charming Chinese piece from the Qing Dynasty, 19th century, particularly decorative due to its small size and rare to find as a pair.