Page 46 - Sothebys Fine Chinese Art London, November 2018

A Constant Friend: On the Spinach-Green

Jade ‘Wulao Tu’ Brush Pot

Dr. Xu Lin, The Palace Museum, Beijing

When it comes to brush pots, I always think about the following line This complicated composition was created through a variety of
inscribed by the bamboo carver Pan Xifeng on one of his bamboo techniques, including subtractive carving in high and low relief,
brush pots: ‘Void is its heart, firm are its joints. It serves me in my incision, and drilling. The resultant scene, resembling a continuous
study, accompanying me every day and night’. scroll painting, is extremely illusionistic. In its material, craftsmanship,
and composition, this brush pot is characteristic of the jade art of the
The brush pot was an indispensable part of the scholar’s study in
mid-Qing imperial court.
classical China. Even in our increasingly computerised society, an
elegant brush pot on a desk remains a loyal companion and a source The brush pot was exhibited in the International Exhibition of Chinese
of aesthetic pleasure. Art, held at the Royal Academy of Arts in London from November
1935 to March 1936, and was included in the accompanying
The present spinach-green jade ‘Five Immortals’ brush pot is 16.5
1
exhibition catalogue (fig. 1) . Initiated by Sir Percival David, the
cm in height. Its mouth and base both measure 17 cm in diameter,
major British scholar and collector of Chinese art, the exhibition
and its base measures 1.1 cm in height. Carved from spinach-green
aimed at promoting “the global appreciation of Chinese art and
jade, the brush pot has a straight cylindrical form, with five geometric
sympathy between the peoples of China and United Kingdom” and
cloud motifs on its base. The body is carved in shallow relief with
received support from the government of the Republic of China. A
a continuous landscape scene of a tranquil forest with five elderly
total of 1022 fine exhibits were selected from the Palace Museum,
figures, each striking a different pose. One crosses a bridge holding
Academica Sinica, Antiques Exhibition Bureau, Beijing Library,
a magical peach, trailed by a young servant holding a staff; in front
and other Chinese collections, encompassing virtually all areas of
of him is a high platform with a table, and on the table stands a vase
classical Chinese art—ceramics, paintings and calligraphy, bronzes,
holding blooming peonies, auspicious symbols of prosperity and good
jades, enamels, kesi textiles, lacquer carving, furniture, and other
fortune. Two elderly figures are walking together, one holding lingzhi
media. Among them, 735 were works from the Palace Museum
fungus and a staff and looking back, the other proceeding forward
that had been brought to southern China due to Sino-Japanese
with a peach. The pair appear to be in conversation. Another two
conflicts. The International Exhibition of Chinese Art also received
figures are holding a peach and lingzhi fungus respectively; behind
the enthusiastic support of public and private collections around the
them, a small pavilion with square double roofs stands in the shade
world and featured works loaned from the U.K., United States,
of a wutong tree. In the distant background are rolling hills with pine
Germany, France, Japan, the Netherlands, India, Russia, Sweden,
trees and vines, as well as auspicious clouds. In the foreground, a
and Turkey. In sum, the exhibition featured 3080 works from 240
river runs amidst pines and cypresses. The hills, river, vegetation, and
collections and 15 countries. It was an unprecedented opportunity
pavilion together form an otherworldly paradise of peace, tranquillity,
for Europeans to gain an overview of Chinese art. Jade expert
and comfortable enjoyment.

44 SOTHEBY’S