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Taiwan artist carves miniature goats for Lunar New Year
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These images show Taiwanese artist Chen Forng-shean (clockwise from upper left) carving a tiny goat with the help of a magnifying glass; pointing to a pencil, on the tip of which is his even smaller carving of the Formosan serow; showing photos that zoom in on the goat carving; and holding up a grain of rice next to the carving. Reuters video
Chen Forng-shean said he believed his two goat miniatures are the smallest goat sculptures in the world.
"I have carved two of the world's smallest goat sculptures: one is the Taiwanese Formosan serow, the other is mainland China's Tibetan antelope. These two goats represent double happiness. I hope they can bring good economy to Taiwan and world peace," said Chen.
The Taiwanese Formosan serow sculpture is 0.08 centimeters (0.031 inch) long, 0.04 cm wide (0.015 inch) and 0.07 cm tall (0.027 in).
The Tibetan antelope sculpture is slightly bigger at 0.18 centimeters in length (0.07 inch), 0.06 cm in width (0.023 inch) and 0.4 cm in height (0.157 inch).
The sculptures cannot be clearly seen with the naked eye, but need to be appreciated by looking through a magnifying glass.
Chen said it took him half a year, and ten failed attempts, to complete the two art pieces made of resin.
"The size of these two goats is tiny, like the size of a grain of sand or dust. It is very difficult to decide how to fit it and on what object, what type of lens to use on the amplifying glass, and what kind of sharp knife and needle to use to slowly and gradually carve it. It is also pushes the carving skills to the limit," he said.
Chen used to be a designer for Taiwan's Central Engraving and Printing Plant, but the 59-year-old retired to focus on his miniature artwork, which he took up as a hobby more than 30 years ago as a weekend project.
The word used in Chinese for "Goat" is "Yang," but the generic term can often be used to describe other animals such as a sheep or a ram or even an antelope. The animals are often depicted with horns in Lunar New Year images. Some experts have suggested the expression "The Year of the Horned Animal" when describing the upcoming Lunar New Year.
The Lunar New Year, or The Year of the Goat or the Year of the Sheep, begins on February 19. — Reuters
