A SUPERBLY CARVED OPENWORK BAMBOO BRUSHPOT

Details

A SUPERBLY CARVED OPENWORK BAMBOO BRUSHPOT
LATE MING/EARLY QING DYNASTY, 17TH CENTURY

The cylindrical brushpot is carved in varying levels of high relief to depict four scholars around a painting table in a garden, one bearded gentleman with one hand on a scroll of paper whilst the other is poised with a brush, looking up at his standing companion for inspiration, his other two friends engaged in discussion, attended by two ladies and a young boy, the landscape is detailed with gnarled pine trees and ornamental rocks on a path leading to an aged gentleman followed by his attendant, in the far distance a scholar is watching his friend writing calligraphy on a rock face, the near distance with two attendants busily at tasks, one fanning a stove under a teapot, fitted with a horn base
6 9/16 in. (16.6 cm.) high

Provenance

W.W. Winkworth Collection

Lot Essay

Compare both the rendition of the scene and the style of the carving with a bamboo brushpot in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Hong Kong, 2001, p. 31, no. 30.

The pursuits of writing calligraphy, composing poetry and enjoying nature were prevalent among Ming dynasty scholar-officials. This is best illustrated in paintings such the 15th century handscroll entitled, Xingyuan Yaji Tu, 'The Elegant Gathering of the Apricot Garden' by the Court painter Xie Huan, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection, illustrated by C. Clunas, Fruitful Sites, Garden Culture in Ming Dynasty China, p. 81, no. 20. These pursuits prevailed into the late Ming and early Qing periods as exemplified by the current carving.

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