Mouse and Chayote

As a recreation of one of the masterpieces of the renowned Chinese painter Fan Zeng, this sculpture was crafted purely by hand with several simple tools including a single-edge blade, a pencil and an eraser on a swan eggshell. Using the technique of carving and coloring, the artisan worked out patterns on the shell first and then applied colors, which is different from the traditional painting process, creating a relief-life effect for the fat mouse accompanied by a chayote, a motif group signifying wealth and abundance in the Chinese culture.