Chinese School; first third of the 20th century.

Chinese School; first third of the 20th century.
"Frogs".
Hand-carved soapstone and stone base.
Measurements: 13 x 20 x 6 cm.
Sculpture, made of soapstone, material appreciated for its softness and ease of carving, is a refined example of Chinese craftsmanship of the first third of the twentieth century. The composition presents a group of frogs intertwined between ancient Chinese coins and organic forms that evoke leaves or clouds, symbols traditionally associated with prosperity, fertility and abundance.
The artist achieves a harmonious balance between the naturalistic and the symbolic. The frogs, modeled in meticulous detail, seem to emerge from the mineral surface with restrained dynamism, while the coins with a square hole in the center reinforce the allusion to material and spiritual wealth.