Chop

An impression made by an artist's or another person's seal, traditionally used as a kind of signature in the Far East. These seals have usually been made in square, circular and oval shapes, their impression surfaces carved to produce either a red (positive) or white (negative) mark.Examples:Attributed to Han Gan (Chinese, active 742-756), Night-Shining White, T'ang dynasty, 8th century, ink on paper, 12 1/8 x 13 3/8 inches (30.8 x 34 cm), Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY. This is one of the most revered horse paintings in Chinese art. This short scroll displays a formidable provenance in the form of chops of its former owners. See equine art.Also see Chinese art and Japanese art.