Ebisu. China, 20th century.

Ebisu. China, 20th century.
Coralinum.
Wooden base.
Weight: 88 gr. (without stand).
Measurements: 11 x 7 x 2 cm (coral); 13 x 8 x 3 cm (with base).
Round sculpture entirely carved in coral, representing one of the most popular gods of Fortune, Ebisu, of Japanese origin. He is usually represented as an old fisherman accompanied by a large fish (symbol of prosperity) or mounted on it, as in this piece. The chiseling and carving are meticulous, capturing the scales, the draping, the wise and smiling expression of the boddisattva. The old man appears dressed in a simple robe, which falls forming expressive folds, in which the sculptor is recreated, as is common in the tradition of Chinese sculpture. The elongated earlobes indicate that we are in front of the figure of a sage.
Among the most beautiful products that the sea offers to the vanity of humans is, without a doubt, the red coral, which in all times has served as a precious adornment with which many peoples adorned and ornamented themselves. In some Eastern cultures, red coral is not only a highly esteemed adornment, but also a sign of dignity or command: the mandarins of China wore it as an attribute of their authority. The Turks were also very fond of coral ornaments, which they wore not only on their person, but also in the decoration and ornamentation of their homes. The Greeks designated coral by the name of korallion, which means "ornament of the sea", this word passed into Latin as corallium, from which the word coral was derived. The color of the limestone shaft offers a great variety of shades ranging from red to pink and some of these colorations have a delicate and soft pink hue, the most sought after by divers. The limestone shaft is so compact and homogeneous that it can be subjected to the most perfect polishing without disintegration and cracking, a property that allows it to be worked and carved in a thousand different ways to achieve countless objects of adornment or art.