AE-UP 174
Period - Mid to late Qing dynasty
Material - Camphor wood
Region - Screens and panels of this kind are generally attributed to the Jiangnan region or close by (possibly Zhejiang)
This carving is clearly originating from an affluent home as evidenced by the fine detailing and content of the carving.
Centered in the main panel and inset within a concave beaded frame, we see relief carvings of Lu Xing (祿星), one of the San Xing deities ( 三星) of Chinese mythology, along with Fu Xing (福星) and Shou Xing 壽星. Together these "three star" or "San Xing" deities make up Fu Lu Shou (福禄寿) meaning "fortune, prosperity and longevity." Lu Xing represents prosperity in the triad and brings about influence, rank, and wealth. Here we see him depicted standing under highly stylized pine and willow trees while presenting a pomegranate to a young boy.
The pomegranate is seen as a symbol of fertility, abundance, and good luck in Chinese culture as pomegranates have numerous seeds (子) therefore they can be associated with fertility and the hope for many offspring as in "more seeds, more happiness" (多子多福). This portion of the scene likely represents a wish for a large and prosperous family and with many children.
In Chinese symbolism, pine trees are often associated with longevity and strength, in that evergreens like pine tend to be hardy in nature and survive even in extreme weather. The addition of pine to this scene could emphasize a desire for the wealth and prosperity inherently associated with Lu Xing to endure and flourish. Willow on the other hand, grows quickly implying a faster, ongoing form of growth and prosperity.
The entire scene is then framed against an outer diaper consisting of a pattern with a convex "endless line” interspersed with plum blossoms, camellias, peony, curly grasses, and other flowers. The endless line pattern itself is called 扯不断 which literally imparts the meaning of unbreakable as in "endless or never ending." An outer frame with bead finishes off the composition.
This inset panel likely belonged to a larger framed unit such as a window unit (based on the smaller size).
The product description was prepared by Roger Schwendeman with ACF. (https://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com). Roger is a specialist in Asian antiques with focus on antique Chinese window and door panels. Here is one example of his interpretation of the exquisite ArchElements collection.