Seal-cutting is traditionally listed due to painting, calligraphy and poetry as one of the four arts the learned and accomplished a unique Chinese cultural heritage. A postage stamp in red is not only the signature on the work of calligraphy or painting, but necessary revitalized.
The art dates back over 3700 years to the Yin Dynasty and has its origin in the intersection of Oracle inscriptions on tortoise shells. It flourished in the Qin Dynasty 22 centuries ago, when people show their names on utensils and documents (of bamboo and wood) to the ownership or authorship of. What was the cutting of personal names in small sections of horn, jade or wood, namely the seals as we know it today.
Chinese_seal_and_paste
As in other countries, seals may be used by organizations and individuals. From the warring states period (475 to 221 BC), an official label should be given as an indication of approval by the Head of State, a question that has been appointed to administrative positions. The stamp, in other words, standing for the office and the performance. The private seals are also used for personal names on various documents for validation or stamp as a sign of good faith.
Stamps reflect the development of Chinese writing. The oldest bear the Qin and Han, Zhuan or curly script, which explains why the art of seal cutting zhuanke always called, and also because Zhuan script is also available in English as seal characters acquaintances. Emerged over years, one after the other styles of Chinese seal script, which is now all the calligraphic styles, except for cutting at the request of the artist.
Characters on seals may be cut in relief or intaglio. The materials for seals vary with different owners. Average people have noticed usually made of wood, stone or horn seals, while public figures would probably be red stone seal Changhua, jade, agate, crystal, ivory and other precious materials most preferred. Monarchs of old used the gold to make the most beautiful stones in the imperial and royal seals. Today, the offices of the Chinese government to lower levels of wood.
carved-seals
Special projects as works of art should excel in three aspects - calligraphy, composition and operation manuals for the most serious. The artist must be in writing different styles of writing Chinese well. We must learn to achieve in a limited space, a series of characters - a compact with many strokes and others with a very brief summary - a strong influence or to arrange for free. He was also familiar with various materials - stone, bronze or ivory - so that, the knife with the right effort, technique and pace, can themselves apply. For the initiated to watch a master engraver at work is how you see a wonderful stage of implementation.
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