Chinese folk arts-Silhouette Carving

Here I'd like to show you another interesting type of traditional Chinese art----Silhouette Carving! It's not so easy for you to find them in China.But they presents part of China's most dedicated and skilled artworks!

The silhouette carving, which is a branch of the Hui'an school of stone sculpture in Fujian, derives its name from its photo-like artistic effects. For its exquisite craftsmanship it is extolled as a wonder of China.

Using a variety of tiny chisels ranging in size from nails to needles, the artist consults the details of a photograph while carving on a piece of bluestone about two inches in thickness, forming patterns and images by varying the size, depth and density of the chisel points and alternating realism with abstraction. A piece of silhouette carving can be as large as more than 100 square metres and as small as 4 to 5 square cm.

The silhouette carvings made in the Hui'an County Stone Carving Factory are often selected as gifts for diplomatic occasions and shown in exhibitions abroad.If you'd like to get some from China I might help you.