An Elaborately Carved Hardwood Asian Easel, 19th century

This easel is one of the best and most highly developed of its kind. It features serpents covering just about all of its surface, from the top through the midsection, holding the painting support, and just below, with all supports having serpents bodies intertwined. Interestingly, at the top of the easel, is a large serpent with two cobras below and human figures just below that, with (if the above were already not enough) smaller cobras at the knees of these figures.