Yin zhang, Chinese seals,
are generally square, but may sometimes also be round in shape
(fig.).
As is often the case with better quality stamps,
this one is elaborately decorated. It is
engraved with picturesque drawings of
traditional landscapes and figures, as well as a
Chinese calligraphic
text engraved in
minuscule characters in Regular or Standard
Script. The
text in red is written
in Semi-cursive
or Running Script, whereas the text of the
stamp itself (here seen upside-down) is in
the ancient Lesser Seal Script
and reads the name ‘Yves’. |