Feng Xilu

CHINA, Shanghai; Qing dynasty

Feng Xilu, with aliases of Yihou and Lianchi, was a sculptor who specialized in bamboo carving. He and his younger brother, Feng Xizhang, worked together in the Yangxin Hall craft workshop of the Qing Imperial Palace during the rule of Emperor Kangxi (reigned 1661–1722) of the Qing dynasty. Feng became famous for his bamboo and ivory carved figures, in addition to his boats carved from walnuts. He once carved a walnut boat entitled Dongpo from the Red Cliffs, on which was Su Shi, monk Foyin, and a guest. The intricate composition and complex scene illustrated his sophisticated and refined knifing skills. A representative of the Jiading school of bamboo carving, both of Feng’s brothers Xijue and Xizhang were also skilled in the craft.
Feng was described in Records of Bamboo Artists to be a bright and talented individual with an unrestrained and incomparably outstanding character. His exemplary works carved from bamboo include Statuette of Arhat, which is kept at the Shanghai Museum; and Figurine of Budai and a brush holder entitled Hermit in the Shade of Pine Trees, both of which are kept at the Palace Museum in Beijing.