Brush- or ink-rest

Title

Brush- or ink-rest

Year/Period

Qing dynasty, 1644 - 1911

Region

China

Object Type

inkstands, brush rests

Material

porcelain (material), cobalt blue (pigment), clay, ceramic glaze, wood (plant material)

Technique

glazing (coating process), throwing (pottery technique), underglazing, molding (forming), firing (technique), carving (processes)

Dimension

Object Size: Refer to parts 2.8 x 6.2 x 4.8

Accession No.

2017-00277

Collection of

Asian Civilisations Museum

Credit Line

Gift of Pamela Hickley

This blue-glazed porcelain elephant was probably an item made for the scholar’s desk. Apart from serving as a holder to rest a scholar’s brush or inkstick, this elephant is also a delightful example of a “scholar’s plaything”. The potter has imbued the elephant with life by modelling the animal’s trunk in an upturned and trumpet-like manner. The outline of the animal also takes the form of a double-gourd. The gourd was a popular motif in Chinese art as it was associated with longevity as well as protective and magical properties.