Brush pot
Unknown Artist
late 19th–20th century
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
H. 3 in. (7.6 cm); Diam. (max.) 2 1/4 in. (5.7 cm)
Classification
Ivories
Culture
China
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Shou-cheng Zhang and Xiu-ping Loh Zhang, 2000
Accession Number
2000.514.49
Art Historical Context
This delicate ivory brush pot, crafted in China during the late 19 to early 20th, exemplifies the refined artistry of the scholar's studio. Measuring just 3 inches tall with a maximum diameter of ¼ inches, it served a practical yet elegant purpose: holding calligraphy brushes upright in water to keep their tips supple. Such objects were staples among China's educated elite, blending functionality with aesthetic beauty in the tradition of wenfangsi, or "scholar's four treasures" (brush, ink, paper, and inkstone). Carved from ivory—a luxurious material prized for its creamy translucency and abi...