In the second image in yesterday's post, next to the spherical ornament we analyzed in that article, there is another piece that may prove intriguing for designers, but also for architects, a meticulously crafted ivory nine-storey pagoda from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911; preserved at the National Palace Museum in Taipei).
As seen in that post, skilled artisans of that era exhibited a remarkable diversity in materials, employing the likes of metal, jade, stone, wood, bamboo, ivory, bone, and horn.
Each material served as a canvas for intricate carvings, depicting auspicious symbols, historical allusions, mythological references, and even architectural motifs or architectures like this one.
For what regards the nine-storey pagoda, it becomes evident that it served as a compendium of artistic techniques. Ranging from relief carving to openwork and sculpting, the piece showcases indeed a mastery that transcends mere utilitarianism. Most carved objects were made to be observed at leisure and lacked a practical function and that's the case also with this piece: while looking like an architectural model, this pagoda is obviously decorative and stands as a testament to the artisan's dedication to materials and refined workmanship.
In the sphere we analysed in the previous post, there were several concentric elements, here instead we have a division into several storeys that become gradually smaller till the top that finishes with a pointy decorative element. Each storey is decorated with several tiny bells.
When it came to carved objects, in most cases the practical function of the object didn't exist and the craftsperson focused on materials, refined workmanship and unique forms, stressing the pursuit of refinement in life. In this particular case the artisan who made the pagoda employed architecture as a pretext to display their prowess and technique.
The object is therefore a manifestation of the aesthetic pursuit of grandiosity without sacrificing intricacy and attention to detail (check out the bells, the openwork, but also the eaves) and a compendium of techniques – from relief carving and openwork to sculpting. Viewers appreciating these objects at leisure would admire the skills of the craftspeople who made them and be astonished at their beauty. We should do the same and, besides, as remarked in yesterday's post, we should always remember to avoid buying ivory if we happen to visit a country where this material is still available, and just admire antique ivory objects in museums.
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