Brush pot in the shape of a tree trunk
On loan to The Met
This work of art is currently on loan to the museum.This unusual brush pot bears an inscription identifying the owner as Qian Shisheng (1575–1652), a Ming-dynasty minister of rites who either acquired or commissioned the object in 1641. Designed to emulate an aged and gnarled tree trunk, the surface reflects seventeenth-century scholars’ appreciation for old and rustic items. The pot complements the aesthetic of objects exhibiting an antiquarian style.
Artwork Details
- 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: Promised Gift of Julia and John Curtis
- Object Number: L.2025.30.6
- Rights and Reproduction: Image © The Metropolitan Museum of Art, photo by Oi-Cheong Lee
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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