The mammoth tusk composition "Divine Birthday Gathering" is a complex piece of art combining ancient natural materials and the traditions of oriental sculpture. The composition is based on a massive mammoth tusk forming an almost closed circular arc. The light surface of the bone is covered with the finest relief carvings, turning the natural shape into a multi-layered narrative scene.
Along the entire arc of the tusk are numerous figures of celestial characters — immortals, spirits and heavenly servants. They seem to be moving along the heavenly path, heading towards the center of the composition. Each figure is made with a high degree of detail: clothes, gestures, musical instruments and symbolic objects associated with traditional Chinese mythology and ideas of well-being, longevity and harmony are distinguishable.
In the central part of the composition stands the main figure, located on a cloudy pedestal. A procession of heavenly beings bearing gifts and blessings is heading towards her. Such scenes are often associated with the ancient plot of the "feast of the immortals", dedicated to the birthday of the Heavenly Lady of the West or other deities symbolizing longevity and prosperity.
The master uses the natural curve of the tusk as the architectural basis of the entire composition. The arc turns into a kind of vault of heaven, under which a solemn procession unfolds. Due to the combination of high and low relief, the scenes look deeply spatial, and the figures seem to protrude from the surface of the bone.
The "Divine Birthday Gathering" symbolizes the celebration of longevity, harmony and heavenly blessings. The composition combines a mythological plot, a sophisticated carving technique and the majestic natural shape of a tusk, turning into a rare work of art in which ancient history, culture and craftsmanship are combined in a single image.
