Presentation box for a brush

China

Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95)

Not on view

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.

Presentation box for a brush, Carved red lacquer, China

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Presentation box for a brush, Carved red lacquer, China
Presentation box for a brush, Carved red lacquer, China

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