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Lot Essay
The scene on the present brush pot, sao xiang, which literally means 'sweeping the elephant', is a pun on the Buddhist notion of the illusionary nature of the phenomenal world. Illustrations of this scene were very popular during the late Ming and early Qing period, especially on porcelain but also on other works of art and paintings.
For two small brush pots decorated with versions of this scene see Julia B. Curtis, 'Decorative Schemes for New Markets: The Origins and Use of Narrative Themes on 17th Century Chinese Porcelain', International Ceramics Fair & Seminar, London, 1997, p.18, fig. 1, and S. Marchant & Son, Exhibition of Chongzhen-Shunzhi Transitional Porcelain From A Private American Collection, London, 2007, p. 5, no. 1. Another pear-shaped vase with the same motif in the Julia and John Curtis collection was sold at Christie's New York, 16 March 2015, lot 3569.
For two small brush pots decorated with versions of this scene see Julia B. Curtis, 'Decorative Schemes for New Markets: The Origins and Use of Narrative Themes on 17th Century Chinese Porcelain', International Ceramics Fair & Seminar, London, 1997, p.18, fig. 1, and S. Marchant & Son, Exhibition of Chongzhen-Shunzhi Transitional Porcelain From A Private American Collection, London, 2007, p. 5, no. 1. Another pear-shaped vase with the same motif in the Julia and John Curtis collection was sold at Christie's New York, 16 March 2015, lot 3569.