Purchased by Brian McElney, Founder of the Museum of East Asian Art, in Hong Kong in the late 1980s; formally accessioned into the collection in 2008.
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Why this is a Masterpiece
This piece depicts Red Guards in the midst of battle. The wind gust blows the plants in one direction, while the soldiers push on against the forceful wind. The carving portrays the style of clothing during the Cultural Revolution and even includes a howitzer cannon. The fine details and convincing portrayal of movement of this piece indicates that it could only have been made by a master carver.
History of the Object
During the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1967-1976), traditionally trained craftsmen could only create works that depict Communist ideology and were utilized for government propaganda. Master craftspeople were commissioned to create fine works for official display. Due to the Communist economy of that time, these masters could take their time in creating fine works without having to worry about producing quantity. The quality of workmanship during this period was rarely seen after the eighteenth century in China.
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