The Devil’s Work
3D Imaging of Chinese Ivory Puzzle Balls
Chinese ivory puzzle balls are intriguing objects, known for their beauty, and how they embody exquisite craftsmanship. The magnificent craft has been described as the ‘devil’s work’ in China.
About the project
This project uses a non-invasive computational method for analyzing the crafting process. Our approach uses Computed Tomography (CT) scanning techniques which use a series of X-rays pictures to generate a digital 3D computer model of the ivory ball. The advantage of CT is that it is non-destructive and high precision three-dimensional images of the ball can be obtained. Morphological properties of a ball are measured from its digital representation and compared with properties of a mathematical description of a ball. In this way, we are able to show how the crafting process of a ball can be quantified and assessed.
Aim of the project
In order to collect more comparable samples this project seeks public and private collections for cooperation. If interested, please contact one of the researchers.
Related publications
- Seeing through Chinese Ivory Puzzle Balls, film (Taipei: National Palace Museum, 2020)
- R. van Liere, K.J. Batenburg, A. Kostenko, I. Garachon & C. Wang, 'Imaging Ancient Chinese Ivory Puzzle Balls: Deducing the Make Process', in Proceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Image Processing for Art Investigation (IP4AI), Gent 2018, pp. 48-50.
- Ching-Ling Wang, 'Yuzhou yu shijie de zhuzai: Deleisidun suo cang Sakesen wanghou de duomianti xiangya taoqiu zhizuo 宇宙與世界的主宰—德累斯頓所藏薩克森 王侯的多面體象牙套球製作 [Domination of the Cosmos and the World: Production of Polyhedral Ivory Balls Collected by Princes of Saxony in Dresden]', in Zijincheng 紫禁城 [Forbidden City] 203 (2011), pp. 57-67.
Related events
- Robert van Liere & Ching-Ling Wang, 'Seeing-through the Ivory Balls in the Collection of the National Palace Museum', in Workshop - Perspectives of Ivory Balls Workshop, National Palace Museum, Taipei (Taiwan), 12.12.2019.
- Robert van Liere & Ching-Ling Wang, 'Secrets of the Devil’s Work: 3D Imaging of Chinese Ivory Puzzle Balls and their Manufacturing Process,' National Palace Museum, Taipei (Taiwan), 05.06.2019
- R. van Liere, K.J. Batenburg, A. Kostenko, I. Garachon & C. Wang, 'Imaging Ancient Chinese Ivory Puzzle Balls: Deducing the Make Process', in The 6th International Workshop on Image Processing for Art Investigation (IP4AI), Gent (Belgium), 21.-22.06.2018.
staff
Ching-Ling Wang
c.wang@rijksmuseum.nl
Curator of Chinese Art
Prof. Robert van Liere
robert.van.liere@cwi.nl
Senior researcher at Centrum Wiskunde en Informatica, Amsterdam (CWI) and professor at the Technical University Eindhoven, Eindhoven
Related projects
- Perspectives of Ivory Balls: CT Scanning and 3D Imaging, with Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, Amsterdam (CWI) and National Palace Museum, Taipei, funded by National Palace Museum, Taipei. 2019-2020.
- IMPACT4Art, supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), 2018-2020, project 628-007-033.
- See Through Museum, supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), 2016-2018, project 341-60-001.
Partners and Sponsors
National Palace Museum, Taipei.