About the Work

The elaborate carving is made from a single piece of coral and depicts a flying phoenix, its wings surrounded by circling clouds. The figure is shaped in an elegant, arching form, with its head turned left and the beak slightly opened, while the elongated tail floats in the air. The details of the plumage are rendered with great precision, each feather carefully incised. The soft peach-pink of the coral, with white inclusions, is polished to a lustrous finish.

The present carving is considerably rare. The intricate, layered design, carved from a single piece and utilising the natural shape and variations in color of the coral, demonstrates the skill of a highly accomplished carver. The phoenix flying through the clouds is a symbol of good fortune, and it is particularly associated with the empress. For this reason, carvings of phoenixes were highly valued at the Qing court, and were made both of coral and jade.

The remarkable quality and symbolism of this piece strongly suggest that it was made in the Imperial Workshops. Coral was highly appreciated at the Qing court, as seen in a related carving of a Buddhist lion illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum: Treasures of the Imperial Court, Hong Kong, 2004, pl. 48.

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