Chinese Base with Lotus Motif

Polished to a deep sheen, this base is calm on top and exuberant below.

This mahogany base with lotus motif is from China. The lotus is widely used in Chinese decorative arts, where it is often associated with purity, as the flower rises unmarked from muddy water. Circular platform with concentric rings on the tabletop and a shallow rolled edge. Beneath, the lobed skirt is cut with scroll shapes and open loops, and the surface is a dark reddish brown with clear grain. It is 2.25 inches high and 10 in diameter.

The top is serious, the skirt is not.