Engraved Seals: 20th Century

For more informationon about seals, their shapes, and carving styles, please see Zhang (Seals). There are many varieties of seals (personal, leisure, official, etc.). The most common ones in this collection are:

  • leisure seals: 閒章兒 (an unofficial personal seal, usually containing a poetic or religious thought; sometimes also called flavor seals): the inscriptions on these seals are typically words, phrases, or short quotations that convey the mood or thought of the artist, calligrapher, and/or collector
  • name seals: 圖章 (a stamp, personal seal): the inscriptions on these seals are typically names, pen names, pseudonyms, religious names (dharma or Taoist names), or epithets that identify an individual


seal_1_side_1 (47K)
Side 1
Dimensions:
Height: 2 3/4 in.
Width: 1 in.
Depth: 1 1/4 in. 		seal_1_side_2 (47K)
Side 2
Inscription: 		seal_1_side_3 (41K)
Side 3 		seal_1_side_4 (40K)
Side 4
walkingclouds_face (34K)
seal_1_impression (29K)
Face and impression:
Engraving:
relief (red seal)
Face text:
Walking clouds,
flowing water
行云流水
Other details: undated (20th century) and unsigned leisure seal; high relief carving lou diao 鏤雕 on grip of a tiger; square shape (fang xing 方形).
seal_2_side_1 (37K)
Side 1
Dimensions:
Height: 5 in.
Width: 1 in.
Depth: 1 in. 		seal_2_side_2 (38K)
Side 2 		seal_2_side_3 (34K)
Side 3 		seal_2_side_4 (36K)
Side 4 		moonafterrain_face (47K) seal_2_impression (26K)
Face and impression:
Engraving:
relief (red seal)
Face text:
Moon after rain
霁月
Other details: undated (20th century) and unsigned leisure seal; high relief carving lou diao 鏤雕 on grip of dragon and clouds; square shape (fang xing 方形).
seal_3_side_1 (30K)
Dimensions:
Height: 2 3/8 in.
Width: 1 1/2 in.
Depth: 3/4 in. 		seal_3_side_2 (29K)
Side 2 		indrasnet_face (31K)
Seal face
Engraving:
relief (red seal) 		seal_3_impression (21K)
Face impression
Face text:
Indra's net
因陀罗网
Other details: undated (20th century) and unsigned leisure seal; low relief carving (bo yi 薄藝) on sides of plum flowers and landscape; irregular shape (sui xing 隨形). The face text refers to the hidden interconnectedness and interdependency of everything in the universe. This image is a reference to the concept of dependent origination that is a core metaphor in Hua Yen (華嚴) Buddhism. See especially discussions of the Avatamsaka Sutra ( 華嚴經).
bamboo_side_1 (53K)
Side 1
Dimensions:
Height: 2 in.
Width: 1 1/4 in.
Depth: 3/4 in. 		bamboo_side_2 (53K)
Side 2 		inkfate_face (36K)
Face engraving:
relief (red seal) 		bamboo_impression (21K)
Face impression and text:
Ink fate
墨命
Other details: undated (20th century) and unsigned leisure seal;high relief carving lou diao 鏤雕 on grip of bamboo and leaves; irregular shape sui xing 隨形; the expression "ink fate" is a motto commonly used by calligraphers.
seal_4_side_1 (38K)
Side 1
Dimensions:
Height: 4 in.
Width: 2 in.
Depth: 9/16 in. 		seal_4_side_2 (37K)
Side 2 		seal_4_face (18K)
Face engraving:
relief (red seal) 		seal_4_impression (17K)
Face impression and text:
[Name?] seal
[?]印
Other details: undated (20th century) and unsigned name seal; low relief carving (bo yi 薄藝) on sides of a qi lin ( 麒麟 a mythological animal that combines the features of dragon, lion, deer and ox) chasing a pearl on obverse and reverse sides with an ornamental top representing an upside-down bat (another auspicious symbol); square shape (fang xing 方形).
seal_5_side_1 (34K)
Side 1
Dimensions:
Height: 3 3/4 in.
Width: 2 in.
Depth: 9/16 in. 		seal_5_side_2 (35K)
Side 2 		seal_5_face (18K)
Face engraving:
relief (red seal) 		seal_5_impression (16K)
Face impression and text:
Wang He
王何
Other details: undated (20th century) and unsigned name seal; low relief carving (bo yi 薄藝) on sides of an animal rampant on either side of an object on obverse and reverse sides; square shape (fang xing 方形).
flat_dragon_side_1 (52K)
Side 1
Dimensions:
Height: 3 3/4 in.
Width: 2 in.
Depth: 9/16 in. 		flat_dragon_side_2 (49K)
Side 2 		flat_dragon_face (24K)
Face engraving:
relief (red seal) 		flat_dragon_impression (19K)
Face impression and text:
Tian ? seal
田?印
Other details: undated (20th century) and unsigned name seal; low relief carving (bo yi 薄藝) on sides of a dragon-headed carp on obverse and reverse sides above a bird in a pine tree on one side and a set of coins on the other; square shape (fang xing 方形). The carp (symbol of vigor, endurance, perseverance and power) was thought to be able to turn into a dragon at will, hence the carp-dragon may symbolize a wish for outstanding achievements.
windingpath_side_1 (20K)
Side 1
Dimensions:
Height: 1 3/16 in.
Width: 9/16 in.
Depth: 9/16 in. 		windingpath_side_2 (19K)
Side 2 		windingpath_side_3 (19K)
Side 3 		windingpath_side_4 (20K)
Side 4 		windingpath_face (35K)
windingpath_impression (29K)
Face and impression:
Engraving:
relief (red seal)
Face text:
Winding path,
hidden beauty
弯 道 潜 姿
Other details: undated (20th century) and unsigned leisure seal; low relief carving (bo yi 薄藝) on sides of landscapes and flowers; square shape (fang xing 方形).

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