Ebisu. China, 20th century.In coral.Weight: 618 gr (with base).Measurements: 19 x 7 x 7.5 cm (without base); 24.5 x 12 x 12 cm (with base).Carving entirely made in coral, from a single piece, representing an old Chinese fisherman in full body, with simple clothes and a hat covering his head. In his hands he holds the rod, from which hang several fish. The figure rises above a large fish surrounded by sea plants. Formally, the combination of the meticulous work of carving the details stands out, as we see in the marine framework or the scales of the fish, with a certain hieratism in the folds, which acquire a geometric and regular appearance. The elongated lobes of the ears indicate that we are in front of the figure of a wise man.Among the most beautiful products that the sea offers to the vanity of humans is undoubtedly the red coral, which in all times has served as a precious adornment with which many peoples adorned and ornamented themselves. In some Eastern cultures, red coral is not only a highly esteemed adornment, but also a sign of dignity or command: the mandarins of China wore it as an attribute of their authority. The Turks were also very fond of coral ornaments, which they wore not only on their person, but also in the decoration and ornamentation of their homes. The Greeks designated coral by the name of korallion, which means "ornament of the sea", this word passed into Latin as corallium, from which the word coral was derived. The color of the limestone shaft offers a great variety of shades ranging from red to pink and some of these colorations have a delicate and soft pink hue, the most sought after by divers. The limestone shaft is so compact and homogeneous that it can be subjected to the most perfect polishing without disintegration and cracking, a property that allows it to be worked and carved in a thousand different ways to achieve an infinite number of decorative or artistic objects.