Brush rest

Object Details

• Artist

  Seal of Chen Mingyuan (active late 17th-early 18th century)

• Description

  Body: dark chocolate brown clay, fired hard.

  Glaze: none.

  Decoration: modelled in the form of an old plum branch with blossoms and buds. Two seals impressed underneath. Inscribed rosewood stand.

• Marks

  Two name seals impressed underneath.

• Inscriptions

  Inscribed rosewood stand.

• Label

  When producing small, carefully crafted objects for the scholar's study, potters often have imitated natural forms in their work as a way to capture the scholar's character. The shape of this deep purple Yixing clay brush rest symbolizes the plum-blossom-like purity and resoluteness of its user. The potter skillfully used two differing colors of clay to represent the buds and the blossoms on the gnarled branch of the ancient plum tree.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Beyond Brushwork: Symbolism in Chinese Painting (April 29 to November 26, 2006)

  Word Play: Contemporary Art by Xu Bing (October 21, 2001 to January 13, 2002)

  A Breath of Spring (May 17, 1999 to January 9, 2000)

  Beyond Paper: Chinese Calligraphy on Objects (August 18, 1994 to July 3, 1997)

  Ch'ing Dynasty Calligraphy and Painting (August 30, 1985 to January 26, 1986)

  Chinese Flower Paintings (March 18 to September 22, 1983)

  Chinese Ceramics (April 11, 1978 to September 4, 1980)

  Ming Dynasty Paintings (December 4, 1978 to June 14, 1979)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Ceramics, 1955 (September 19, 1955 to November 10, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, East Asian Ceramics and Paintings, East Corridor (January 8, 1947 to ---)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Art, 1946 (May 6, 1946 to November 17, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Ceramics and Paintings (November 14, 1944 to May 3, 1946)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Painting and Ceramics, 1943 (March 22, 1943 to November 13, 1944)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Painting and Ceramics (March 14, 1931 to March 22, 1943)

• Origin

  Yixing, Jiangsu province, China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Tool and Equipment

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1910s, 1660s

• Name

  Chen, Mingyuan

• Place

  Jiangsu province, Yixing, China

• Topic

  Art, Kangxi reign (1662 - 1722), Stoneware, Chinese Art, Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), Writing, Ceramics, Yixing ware

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Tools and equipment