Pattern carving and picture carving on the same project

[CraftyNick]

I am thinking about making a project that may have a combination of a picture and pattern in the tooling inspired by works like this picture.  However, I am contemplating how this thing was done.  The black background in the floral pattern gives it a lovely lacy appearance.  Do you think this was done with just antique, or by painting the background separately?  Also, the pictoral carving of the horse is what seems to me like another odd thing since I would think one would not want to put any dye or antique on a pictoral carving, but it looks like it was finished the same way the rest of the saddle was.  If anyone has any thoughts on this picture, please let me know what you think!

 

 

[Boriqua]

I am so not a gambling man yet I would bet that the background is filled in with dye. The maker has some mad patience and a steady hand. It just looks to even to be only antique. Stunning work

[CraftyNick]

Thanks for the input.