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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.<br><br>A brush, like this one, was essential for both administrative tasks and for artistic creation. The bamboo brush handle and cap were carved in shallow relief with branches, leaves, birds, and flowers. The brush tip was made from fine white animal hairs.
Page data
- Page
- 1
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- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- fd55bd11b4c0929a
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 143249
- Core
- obj
- Type
- object
DTO data
{
"id": "143249",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Brush with Carved Design",
"description": "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.<br><br>A brush, like this one, was essential for both administrative tasks and for artistic creation. The bamboo brush handle and cap were carved in shallow relief with branches, leaves, birds, and flowers. The brush tip was made from fine white animal hairs.",
"date": "1573–1619",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1967.194",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
"Q60756749"
],
"genreSpecific": [
"Wood"
],
"iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1967.194/1967.194_web.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1967.194/1967.194_web.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1967.194/1967.194_web.jpg",
"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 24.2 cm (9 1/2 in.); Handle: 21 cm (8 1/4 in.); Top: 16.8 cm (6 5/8 in.)",
"cul": [
"China, Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Wanli mark and reign (1573-1619)"
],
"accession": "1967.194"
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "143249",
"label": "Brush with Carved Design",
"core": "obj",
"dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
"id": "143249",
"contentType": "object",
"title": "Brush with Carved Design",
"description": "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.<br><br>A brush, like this one, was essential for both administrative tasks and for artistic creation. The bamboo brush handle and cap were carved in shallow relief with branches, leaves, birds, and flowers. The brush tip was made from fine white animal hairs.",
"date": "1573–1619",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1967.194",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
"Q60756749"
],
"genreSpecific": [
"Wood"
],
"iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1967.194/1967.194_web.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1967.194/1967.194_web.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1967.194/1967.194_web.jpg",
"imageCount": 1,
"source": "import",
"dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 24.2 cm (9 1/2 in.); Handle: 21 cm (8 1/4 in.); Top: 16.8 cm (6 5/8 in.)",
"cul": [
"China, Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Wanli mark and reign (1573-1619)"
],
"accession": "1967.194"
}
Document source extras
{
"tec": "carved bamboo",
"tombstone": "Brush with Carved Design (毛筆), 1573–1619. China, Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Wanli mark and reign (1573-1619). Carved bamboo; overall: 24.2 cm (9 1/2 in.); handle: 21 cm (8 1/4 in.); top: 16.8 cm (6 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Anonymous Gift, 1967.194",
"titleInOriginalLanguage": "毛筆",
"collection": "China - Ming Dynasty",
"inscriptions": [
{
"inscription": "大明萬曆年製",
"inscription_translation": "Made in the Reign of Wanli of Great Ming"
}
],
"didYouKnow": "The inscription on this brush with a bamboo cap reads: <em>Made during the Wanli Era of the Great Ming [dynasty]</em>.",
"citations": [
{
"citation": "\"Year in Review.\" <em>The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art</em> 54, no. 10 (December 1967): 302–346.",
"page_number": "Referenced: cat. no. 165, p. 347",
"url": "https://www.jstor.org/stable/25152183"
},
{
"citation": "Hong Kong Museum of Art. C<em>hinese Bamboo Carving: The 3rd Festival of Asian Arts Presented by the Urban Council. Exhibition 15.10.78-7.1.79</em>. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Museum of Art, 1978.",
"page_number": "Reproduced: cat. no. 1, p. 127, pl. 1"
},
{
"citation": "<em>Chinese Paintings, Themes and Techniques</em>. Cleveland, OH: the Cleveland Museum of Art, 1981.",
"page_number": "Reproduced: fig. 47, p. 66"
},
{
"citation": "Wang, Shixiang, and Wango H. C. Weng. <em>Bamboo Carving of China</em>. New York, NY: China House Gallery, China Institute in America, 1983.",
"page_number": "Mentioned and Reproduced: cat no. 4"
},
{
"citation": "Griswold, William, Xiaofei Tian, Richard Von Glahn, Feng Zhao, S. J. Vainker, Masaaki Itakura, Jiang Wu, et al. <em>China’s Southern Paradise: Treasures from the Lower Yangzi Delta</em>. Edited by Clarissa von Spee. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2023.",
"page_number": "Mentioned and Reproduced: p. 334, no. 173"
}
],
"url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1967.194",
"creditline": "Anonymous Gift",
"updatedAt": "2026-05-29 07:21:47.623000",
"imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1967.194/1967.194_print.jpg",
"sourceId": 143249,
"dept": "Chinese Art",
"coll": "China - Ming Dynasty",
"med": "carved bamboo",
"thumbnail_url": null,
"image_url": null
}
Page context
{
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"url": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1967.194/1967.194_web.jpg",
"mediaId": "fd55bd11b4c0929a"
}