Chinese Vintage Wood Carving of Two Deer in a Wood Frame

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This is a carved wood panel that is on a wood frame. It is a pastoral scene of a pair … Read more This is a carved wood panel that is on a wood frame. It is a pastoral scene of a pair of deer in a bamboo grove is skillfully carved by hand. The composition is carefully constructed with the standing stag and reclining doe silhouetted in the foreground underneath a grove of bamboo trees. The deer are facing each other, their feet resting on large flat pieces of rock. It is a delightful scene, one of peace and serenity. This panel was probably taken from a large folding screen that featured more inserts of scenes of flora and fauna. I found this is an antique shop near Guangzhou, formerly Canton many years ago, from one of the many buying trips to South China. I admire the beautiful wood carving and always wish I could have seen the many more scenes on the original folding screens. The subject matters would always be auspicious.

The Chinese are fond of pictorial puns and wordplay. The Chinese word for deer is lu (鹿), a word for an official salary or government income (lu / 祿). A pair of deer amplify this wish for financial success and posperity. A stag and a doe represent partnership and love, a gentle, balanced and enduring relationship, making it a classic symbol for a happy couple. The deer is also a symbol for longevity and immortality. See less