China, Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Wanli mark and reign (1573-1619) / 1573–1619
Brush with Carved Design
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Brush with Carved Design as wood (China, Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Wanli mark and reign (1573-1619) · 1573–1619).
The inscription on this brush with a bamboo cap reads: Made during the Wanli Era of the Great Ming [dynasty] .
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this wood as carved bamboo.
The museum's collection notes: In China, access to political power was granted to those who passed the civil service examinations, a system that offered official service only at a high level of education. Chinese literati-officials, whose daily routine involved administrative work in an office, enjoyed precious objects on their writing desks that offered distraction and demonstrated good taste. By the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties, these utensils of the literati studio became also collectibles and were treasured as artworks. A brush, like this one, was essential for both administrative tasks and for artistic creation. The bamboo brush handle and cap were
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtBrush with Carved DesignOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.