Cross: China, Canton; 19th century.

Cross: China, Canton; 19th century.
Indian wood with mother-of-pearl inlay.
Measurements: 53,5 x 22 cm.
Cross from Canton, China, XIX century. Made of Indian wood, it presents a delicate work of mother-of-pearl inlays, arranged with precision to enhance its ornamental and devotional character. The piece reflects the mastery of the Cantonese workshops in the elaboration of objects destined both for worship and for collecting, combining noble materials with a refined aesthetic sense.
The contrast between the dark, compact surface of the wood and the iridescent sparkles of the mother-of-pearl gives the whole a rich visual effect. This type of production corresponds to the decorative arts boom in Canton during the 19th century, a time when the manufacture of religious and artistic objects for the international market was consolidated, a testimony to the cultural exchanges between East and West.