Wood Carving

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Wood carving can be divided into many different categories due to its wide range in application and decoration, diversity in methods of representation and difference in wood texture. In terms of application and decoration, there are three types of wood carving: architecture carving, furniture carving and display art ware carving, which will be explained in detail in this part; in terms of representation, there are carvings such as piercing carving, basso-relievo, solid tondo, piercing decal, etc.; in terms of different wood texture, there are two types: hard(often called rosewood carving) and soft wood carving (ash wood carving).

Architecture Carving

Architecture carving refers to the wood decoration of architecture. Wood decoration of ancient architecture occupies a very important position in the history of world architecture.

The methods that are applicable to ancient architecture are basso-relievo, piercing carving, solid tondo, etc.

Furniture Carving

Furniture carving refers to the carving of wood furniture and it can be called the most widely applied practical art. The furniture decorated with wood art shows simple and elegant nature of itself. Owing to the difference in customs and aesthetic value, furniture carving varies from one place to another in pattern of woodwork, design of carving decoration, andcarving technique. For example, both rosewood carving furniture in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province and Dongyang wood carving furniture in Zhejiang Province are world-famous, but they differ with each other on the former being elegant and luxurious and the latter being exquisite and unique. Below please find two good examples of these two types of wood carving.

3) Art Ware Carving

Art ware carving boasts two types: appreciative display art ware and practical art ware.

A. Appreciative Display Art Ware

Appreciative display art ware refers to the small and single art ware that is put on the closet, window, desk or shelf for decoration purpose. As a traditional type of wood carving art, it is carved with the solid tondo technique. Modern display art ware has broken the limit on subject and pattern, bringing about a new situation on the development of display art ware.

B. Practical Art Ware

Practical art ware is the kind of art ware that combines practicality with art of wood carving technique. It is divided into two types: woodwork carving such as wood palace lantern, floor lamp, wall lamp, lacquer folding screen, woodcarving folding screen, mirror shelf, pen shelf and wood clock seat, and other art ware carving such as desk, table, seat and shelf, etc.