Page 45 - Chinese Decorative Arts: The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v. 55, no. 1 (Summer, 1997)

Brush Holder
..............................................................................
Qing dynasty, 17th century
Ivory
H. 5 5/8 in. (14.2 cm)
Promised of Florence and Herbert Irving
Gift

n the lower part of this beautifully throw something; one, at the front, leans over Pan Yue's writings were highly regarded.
a
carved brush holder a man, hiding his the rooftop and seems to be waving cloth; Either would have been an appropriate image
face with a fan, rides in a goat cart. He is others, in groups (not shown), also stand and on a scholarly utensil, such as this brush holder,
as
accompanied by three young boys, and four gesticulate they watch him ride by. as some knowledge of history and literature
more attendants, carrying fans or other objects, The unusual subject depicted here suggests is needed to recognize the theme.
follow the main group as the procession moves that the figures illustrate a scene from Chinese The combination of a recessed ground
along the sides. The gentleman's entourage history or literature. Two are possible, both with high-relief carving is a technique known
attracts a great deal of attention from the clus- from tales featuring beautiful and talented men: as xian di shen ke (sunken-ground deep carv-
ter of people on the rooftops and balconies the story of Wei Jie, who rode in a white goat ing), first used on seventeenth-century
bamboo
placed at different heights along the top of the cart, and that of Pan Yue, whom women pelted pieces and borrowed by ivory workers during
brush holder. Six animated figures directly with fruit as he passed. Both were noted the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth
above the central figure peer intently him, scholars during the Jin dynasty (ca. 265-419). centuries. DPL
at
and several have their hands raised as if to Wei Jie was famed for his speaking skills, and
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