Deng Erya

CHINA, Guangdong, Dongguan; Qing dynasty

Deng Erya was a seal engraver who, from a young age, studied classic texts and was skilled in the art of Chinese calligraphy. At the age of eight, Deng began learning how to carve seals and at the age of 21, he traveled to Japan to study art. There, he specialized in the research of ancient seals and worked as both a teacher and an editor. Under the instruction of Huang Shiling, Deng developed a unique style which incorporated the ancient scripts of the Qin (221–207 BCE), Han (206 BCE–220 CE), and the Six Dynasties (220–589).
The sharp, bold cuts of his seals, in combination with the vivacious composition Deng employed, demonstrated his inheritance of the skills and techniques of the Yishan school in Lingnan (southern China). His seal engraving works include All Sentient Beings Are Blessed by the Buddha, which features a Buddha image in the center.