A small brass sculpture of a recumbent lion used as a paper weight. Cast from an alloy of copper, the lion's recumbent pose lends a comfortable feel when picked up for repositioning on paper. Engraved with confident strokes, fine details skillfully illustrate animal contours. Hint of a playful demeanor makes for a pleasant companion in the scholar's studio.Chinese paperweights were usually made from brass, iron, porcelain, jade or red sandalwood. The carving is bold and precise. So wide-ranging in styles and imaginative in design were paperweights that artists saw them as a source of inspiration.The Chinese literati valued beauty that was inspired by nature, and this preference was vividly reflected in the objects they chose for their studios.
