1-233-875 - The Museum of East Asian Art/Heritage Images

Bamboo brushpot with calligraphy, China, late 17th century. Nicely patinated Qing dynasty brushpot, decorated on one side in low relief with the figure of Laozi, believed to be the founder of Daoism. There is an inscription and signature of Wu Zhifan, a native of Jiading, Jiangsu Province and a noted carver active in the Kangxi period. He is generally regarded as the first to carve figures in low relief on an almost plain carved-away background as here making the design appear almost as high relief. The cyclical date corresponds to 1682.