Hardstone Miniature "ice Hockey Players." Russia, Late 20th Century

The hardstone miniature “Ice Hockey Players” depicts a witty genre scene featuring two anthropomorphic owls engaged in a lively battle for the puck. The figures, leaning toward one another with their sticks crossed and their lively poses, lend the composition a remarkable sense of movement and capture the intensity of the sporting contest.

The figures are carved from chalcedony, whose natural texture subtly evokes the birds’ plumage. The eyes are made of cacholong, the headdresses and costume details of jasper and lapis lazuli, while the puck is made of labradorite. The composition is complemented by sticks, skates, and decorative metal elements.

The figures rest on an oval plaque of ribbon agate, whose natural pattern evokes the surface of the ice, which in turn is mounted on a substantial base of polished green jasper. The combination of different semi-precious stones, their natural hues, and their contrasting textures gives this miniature its decorative character and remarkable expressiveness.

Materials: Chalcedony, cacholong, jasper, lapis lazuli, labradorite, agate, metal.

Dimensions: Height 15 cm; width 13 cm; depth 8 cm.

ID-ANTQ-5011