Cabbage and Beetle

In the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), luxury items became more affordable to larger parts of the society, including women, merchants, and literati in non-official positions. Imperial patronage and a growing urban population encouraged consumption of luxury goods and local craftmanship. A superbly skilled carver created this small decorative object, reflecting scholarly taste of the period. This cabbage on a gnarled rock was carved from single piece of wood. There are openings between the stems, holes in leaves, and the rock it rests on. A beetle perches on one leaf which curves over the binding cord. The beetle was painted dark brown, while the cabbage and rock were finished overall with lighter tone.