Brush pot in the shape of a tree trunk

ca. 1641

Not on view

On loan to The Met

This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.

This unusual brush pot bears an inscription identifying it as having once belonged to Qian Shisheng (1575–1652), a Ming dynasty minister of rites, who made or commissioned it in 1641 for his retirement residence. The aged-looking surface exemplifies how literati favored old and curious items during the seventeenth century. The pot would have been a perfect companion to archaistic bronzes and other scholar’s objects exhibiting an antiquarian style.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

明崇禎　錢士升放下庵款木筆筒
Title: Brush pot in the shape of a tree trunk
Period: Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Date: ca. 1641
Culture: China
Medium: Wood
Dimensions: H. 6 1/8 in. (15.6 cn); Diam. 5 5/8 in. (14.3 cm)
Classification: Wood
Credit Line: Lent by a private collection
Object Number: L.2025.30.6
Curatorial Department: Asian Art