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Past Exhibitions

 

Introduction

Gilded Glory: Chaozhou Woodcarving

8/11/2018 - 25/2/2019

Special Exhibition Gallery, Hong Kong Museum of History

Jointly presented by
Leisure & Cultural Services Department
Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province

Jointly organised by
Hong Kong Museum of History
Guangdong Museum

Chaozhou woodcarving is a well-known school of woodcarving in China. Displaying distinct regional features, the style was popular across ancient Chaozhou prefecture in Guangdong province. As lacquer and gold foil are often applied to Chaozhou woodcarving, it is also known as "gilt wood". Ingenious openwork carving techniques yield exquisite works of art which underscore the three-dimensional nature of carving, while creating a multi-dimensional space of overlapping layers that is akin to a drawing depicting intricate plots. Meanwhile, the meaningful folk motifs and patterns showcase the traditional lifestyle in Chaoshan region.

Through approximately 120 sets of exhibits from Guangdong Museum, the exhibition illustrates the practical usage, subject matters and artistic features of Chaozhou woodcarving, while giving the audience a taste of the customs and humanistic spirit of Chaoshan region. The exhibits include the large openwork crab cage created by Mr Gu Liuxi, an inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage of Chaozhou woodcarving. Other works of woodcarving, under various topics, are also used to introduce the customs and traditions of the Chaoshan community in Hong Kong.

The exhibition received the International and Hong Kong-Macao-Taiwan Cooperation Finalist Award from the 16th (2018) National Top Ten Museum Exhibitions.

Gilt wooden offering plates featuring female qilin with baby and doe with fawn carved in the round

Qing dynasty
Guangdong Museum collection

Small gilt wooden shrine featuring "biwu dingshuai" (awarding marshalship through martial arts contest) motif

Qing dynasty
Guangdong Museum collection

Gilt wooden divine sedan chair

Qing dynasty
Guangdong Museum collection

Gilt wooden confectionery stand featuring aquatic motif

Qing dynasty
Guangdong Museum collection

Gilt wooden birthday screen featuring Guo Ziyi's birthday celebration

6th year of Jiaqing's Reign in the Qing dynasty
Guangdong Museum collection

Painted queti brackets featuring Tale of the lychee and mirror carved in relief

Qing dynasty
Guangdong Museum collection

Painted suiliangfang tie-beam featuring Madam She, the marshal carved in relief

Qing dynasty
Guangdong Museum collection

Gilt wooden transverse panel featuring Zhuan Zhu offers a fish in openwork

Qing dynasty
Guangdong Museum collection

Gilt wooden lobster and crab cage in openwork

Modern
Courtesy of Master Gu Liuxi

Gilt wooden beam cushion with plum blossoms and crab in openwork

Qing dynasty
Guangdong Museum collection

Gilt wooden shrine door featuring Guo Ziyi's birthday celebration in openwork

Qing dynasty
Guangdong Museum collection

Gilt wooden diamond-shaped food container featuring pigmented lacquer painting of Wine from Wang Maosheng

Qing dynasty
Guangdong Museum collection

Gilt wooden rectangular food container featuring lacquer painting of "Exile of Prince Chong'er of Jin" with fine lines traced by iron pen

Qing dynasty
Guangdong Museum collection

 

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