Presentation box for a brush
This luxurious lacquer box was designed to hold a writing brush from the imperial workshops. The main images on the box are of bats flying over waves. In Chinese, the word for “bat” is pronounced the same as “fortune” (fu). Thus, the bat is an auspicious animal symbolizing good fortune, as opposed to its negative connotations in the West.
Artwork Details
- 清乾隆 剔紅蝙蝠紋筆盒
- Title: Presentation box for a brush
- Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95)
- Culture: China
- Medium: Carved red lacquer
- Dimensions: Box (bottom): H. 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm); W. 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm); L. 12 3/8 in. (31.4 cm)
Lid: H. 9/16 in. (1.4 cm); W. 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm); L. 12 1/8 in. (30.8 cm)
Box closed: H. 2 in. (5.1 cm) - Classification: Lacquer
- Credit Line: Gift of A. W. Bahr, 1958
- Object Number: 58.64.19c, d
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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Accession Number: 58.64.19a, b
Accession Number: 29.100.358a, b
18th century
18th century
18th century
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