Chinese Candle Base with Lotus Motif

Two tiers of petals, one opening up and one folding down.

This candle base with lotus motif is from Putian, Fujian Province, China, and is contemporary, carved from camphor wood. Putian is long known for its woodcarving workshops, and the lotus, rising clean from muddy water, is widely taken in Chinese and Buddhist art as a sign of purity. The upper bowl is ringed with pointed petals around a flat top. Below it a fuller layer of petals spreads over an octagonal plinth, its frieze carved with scrolling vines and key corners. The wood is a deep chocolate brown. It is 11.5 inches wide and 10 high.

A flower built to hold up a flame without complaint.