Beautiful Hand Carved Solid Wood Decorative Panel. Made in China in the XIX Century.

Stylish Chinese decorative panel made of hand-carved wood in the 19th century. This piece is in very good condition and was made of two different woods: a better-quality one for the panel and another kind of wood for the back reinforces and the frame. This is a very antique and valuable piece, and the carving which decorates it is a nice example of subtleness and skill. The panel has been restored and now it shows no cracks or broken parts, and if we turn it, in the back we will discover a number of original restorations, some of them really old.The front is decorated with bas-relief carvings, and the decoration is divided into two parts: one on the top half and the other just below. Both scenes are framed by a carved fringe with a typical oriental pattern. The upper scene depicts an imperial dragon framed by a bamboo circle. The animal is flying over a landscape and is surrounded by clouds. Around the bamboo circle, four bats (another sacred animal in Chinese mythology) occupy the four corners with their open wings. The dragon is carved in detail, from the long moustaches to its wavy bodys scales and the four fingers of each claw.Just under this image we can see another sacred Chinese animal: a lion. It is a Buddhist lion, also known as Foo dog though it is actually a lion. The smiling animal is standing in a nice landscape, surrounded by sharp-pointed rocks and under the shadow of a tree. In this case, the fringe which frames the scene (also simulating bamboo) is square-shaped, creating a dynamic contrast with the upper circle.In spite of the frames slight scratches and the restorations, the panel is in great condition. The beauty of the carving work and its ancient age make of it a unique piece, a hundred per cent original and valuable, perfect for the home or collection of any nostalgic lover of Eastern antiques. Measurements: Width: 625 mm. Height: 1145 mm.