Skip to main content
Video Loading
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 9

"The Essence of Yin" Mid Century Cat Sculpture by Li Yin

About the Item

This 1969 resin sculpture by Li Ching embodies an aesthetic of purity. The form of the cat, reduced to continuous curves and a smooth surface, avoids any anecdotal detail. It is not an animal captured in an expressive pose, but rather an abstract presence, stable and silent. The contrast between the light body and the dark base recalls the principle of yin and yang. The cat, a symbol of flexibility and independence, belongs to yin through its withdrawal from the world and its inner fluidity. The base, rigid and massive, represents yang: it anchors and structures. This tension between lightness and grounding gives the sculpture its evocative power. The absence of details, particularly facial features, enhances the universality of the form. It does not diminish the presence; rather, it intensifies it, allowing the mind to complete what the eye cannot discern. The cat is not depicted explicitly; it is suggested. This choice aligns with an artistic philosophy where essence takes precedence over ornamentation, resonating with classical Chinese thought, where strength lies as much in emptiness as in fullness. In Art Deco, the cat is often a figure of modernity and detached elegance. Here, it becomes a sign of tranquility and contained energy. Far from being a mere ornament, this sculpture invites reflection on form and meaning, and the power of simplicity.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 14 in (35.56 cm)Width: 6 in (15.24 cm)Depth: 4.5 in (11.43 cm)
  • Style:
    Art Deco (In the Style Of)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Composition,Lacquered
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1960s
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Pasadena, CA
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU825843736152

More From This Seller

View All
Mid-Century Figurative Brutalist Bronze Sculpture
Located in Pasadena, CA
Modern Figurative Brutalist bronze sculpture of a robust man in motion, with a bucket in its hand. The statue rests on its original base in variegated white or gray marble There is n...
Category

Mid-20th Century French Brutalist Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Plaster Head Primitive Sculpture in the style of Easter Island Moai Sculpture
Located in Pasadena, CA
Inspired by the 380 A. D. Easter Island originals, this Plaster Head Sculpture showcases a fine example of primitive art, known to represent god...
Category

Late 20th Century Chilean Primitive Abstract Sculptures

Materials

Plaster

The Hand, White Fiberglas Sculpture inspired by August Rodin
By Auguste Rodin
Located in Pasadena, CA
This sculpture of a hand, crafted in fiberglass, aligns directly with Rodin’s legacy. Shaped in a closed volume, it strips the gesture of any superfluous expression, concentrating a ...
Category

Vintage 1980s American Modern Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Fiberglass

Dancing Sculpture in Resin in the Style of Umberto Boccioni
Located in Pasadena, CA
Sculpture is at its most essential as a physical, tactile medium, and needs to be touched to be fully experienced. Creating a handmade resin sculpture is an intricate process that requires the mastery of various skills and techniques. This dancing sculpture, in gun metal patina finish resin, stands on its wooden base, featuring intricate details, height, singular twists, interstices, and curves, culminating in an energetic union that transforms the static and individual into a dynamic couple. As you let your hands wander, with closed eyes, you can sense fluidity in their movements, brought to life by soft, rounded lines. Every gesture and sweep emits a unique emotion, as if the two dancers were sharing a whispered conversation, inviting the viewer to witness their intimate exchange. By taking this sculpture home...
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Sculptures and Carvings

Materials

Resin

Wire Sculpture of a Lascivious Woman
Located in Pasadena, CA
Wire sculpture, a medium known for its inherent rigidity and masculinity, has been transformed - in this unique sculpture that we propose today - into a triumphant tribute to the gra...
Category

Late 20th Century American Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Wire

Resin Sculpture by Hungarian Artist Istvan Toth
By Istvan Toth
Located in Pasadena, CA
Istvan Toth was a Hungarian artist who lived and worked in the Hollywood Hills from the 1960s through the 1990s. Signed and dated 1989. The sculpture is made of gilded resin and rest...
Category

Late 20th Century American Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Resin, Wood

You May Also Like

Mid-Century Modern Sleeping Cat Sculpture
Located in Soquel, CA
Wonderful mid-century fat cat sleeping sculpture with blue/green glaze and terracotta red eyes. Signed on bottom "Erne" 48/66 with "W" mark. Size: 7.5"H x 14"D...
Category

Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Terracotta

Mid-Century Modern Yin Yang Lucite Table Sculpture Geometric Sculpture, 1970s
Located in Miami, FL
In this listing we offer a beautiful, crafted Yin Yang table sculpture made out of Lucite. The inside line is frosted. No markings. F-671-335  
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Lucite

THE SKULL "My Essence" hand-painted resin sculpture by Gio Pagani
By Gio Pagani
Located in Milano, IT
THE SKULL "MY ESSENCE" - GRAPHIC COLLECTION _______________________________________________ Hand-crafted from bi-component resin Dimensions: 9x14x10 (w,d,h) The negation of matter e...
Category

2010s Italian Modern Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Resin

Turn-of-the-century, Solid Alabaster, Kwan Yin Figure
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Italian, hand-carved, graceful Kwan sculpture in flowing robes. The figure stands on an octagonal, solid alabaster base and is mounted on a large, fluted, period, carved-wood column....
Category

Antique Early 1900s Italian Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Alabaster

Bronze Sculpture of a Cat by Emmanuel Fremiet, 19th Century.
By Emmanuel Fremiet
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Bronze sculpture of a cat by Emmanuel Fremiet, 19th century. A bronze sculpture of a cat by Emmanuel Frmiet, 19th century, Napoleon III period. H: 8cm, W: 7cm, D: 4cm
Category

Antique 19th Century French Napoleon III Animal Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Mid-Century Bronze Welded Brutalist Mummy Cat Sculpture, Style of Jane Ackroyd
Located in St. Louis, MO
Unique cast and welded bronze brutalist sculpture of a cat in the style of a mummy. Having cast bronze gause wrapping around body with welded detail to front paw, in the style of Bri...
Category

Vintage 1970s American Mid-Century Modern Animal Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Recently Viewed

View All