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Overview
This nineteenth-century figurine was carved from the knotty, crooked roots of a birch tree. Although the carver is unknown, this small sculpture is part of a Chinese root carving tradition that is centuries old. Many of these types of figures are carved from birch, a hard wood chosen for its very close grain that does not split easily.
Wood and carving
Wood has been widely used in China for centuries to construct buildings, build furniture, and manufacture common objects. Wood carving grew from the popularity of wood as a construction material, and from the practice of carving decorations for temples and palaces.
Later, two classes of master carvers emerged in China: those who carved furniture and architectural detail, and those who delved into wood carving as an art form. Craft shops sold the work of the latter, and this may be how Dr Hector came to own this figure.
Dr James Hector
These examples were presented to the Colonial Museum by Dr James Hector (1834-1907). Dr Hector, later Sir James Hector, was the first director of Te Papa's predecessor, the Colonial Museum. He was appointed in 1865.