Chinese Hexagonal Lotus Base

The creamy-white petals on this squat hexagon are crisp enough to count, if anyone dared.

This hexagonal carved lotus base is from China. It is marble. Carved bases like this are made to lift a sculpture or stone above a surface, and the lotus is a widely used Buddhist and Hindu symbol of purity. Pictured, a small hexagonal base shows a ring of rounded beads above the waist and a larger ring of petals below. Honey-colored staining settles into the grooves, and a few chips mark the lower corners. It is 5 inches wide, 5 deep and 4 high.

Handsome, hefty and made for holding something up.