Brush pot, porcelain, carved with landscape under a lemon-yellow glaze, made by Hu Wenxiang, China, Qing dynasty, 19th century

A cylindrical brushpot carved with a landscape and covered with a lemon yellow enamel. In the foreground is a man on horseback approaching a two-storied, battlemented gateway. On the other side of the pot, below the rim, is incised a poem:

Towards Chang'an on horseback
[I saw] the red setting sun above the city walls
The five mansions with their terraces all aligned
Are immersed in multi-coloured clouds.

Short incisions have been added to the footring to simulate the texture of bamboo. On the recessed glazed base is carved in high relief the mark Xinwu Hu Liuxiang zuo (made by Hu Liuxiang of Xinwu) in seal script.

Carved porcelain became popular during the Daoguang and Xianfeng periods, probably inspired by bamboo carving. A large proportion of carved porcelains are items for the scholar's desk and, like Yixing and Dehua wares, many bear the mark of the potter. Hu Wenxiang was not one of the better-known porcelain carvers, but his workmanship is of a very high quality. The mark on the base, which would not be visible when the pot is in upright position, is carved to a depth of 2mm. Compared to other potters who merely stamped their seals onto the base of pots Hu Liuxiang had set a very high standard for himself.

Only one other piece with this mark has been published. It is also a brushpot, glazed pale green.

Given by W. G. Gulland

Given by Mr. W. G. Gulland, accessioned in 1905. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.

The decoration on this cylindrical brush pot is carved, not painted. It shows a man on horseback approaching a two-storey, battlemented gateway. Carved porcelain became popular in China in the 19th century, probably inspired by bamboo carving. A large proportion of carved porcelains are items for the scholar's desk, and many bear the potter's mark.

A brush pot such as this was an indispensable object in the scholar's studio. Scholars normally used a variety of brushes of different sizes, which were stored in a brush pot to keep the scholar's desk tidy.

262-1905