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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 was 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>Desk objects included paper weights, seals and seal paste boxes, brush rests, wrist rests, brush holders, water droppers, ink cakes, miniature mountains, and albums, all ranging in material from jade, gilt bronze, lacquer, and wood to porcelain.

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Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
ea58507a10846006
Size
unknown

Document data

ID
149157
Core
obj
Type
object
DTO data
{
    "id": "149157",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Clip for Paper with Sage Seated Under a Pine",
    "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 was 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>Desk objects included paper weights, seals and seal paste boxes, brush rests, wrist rests, brush holders, water droppers, ink cakes, miniature mountains, and albums, all ranging in material from jade, gilt bronze, lacquer, and wood to porcelain.",
    "date": "1600s or 1700s",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1977.8",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q79930130"
    ],
    "creators": [
        35603
    ],
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Wood"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1977.8/1977.8_web.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1977.8/1977.8_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1977.8/1977.8_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 9.5 cm (3 3/4 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)"
    ],
    "accession": "1977.8"
}

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Document identity
{
    "localId": "149157",
    "label": "Clip for Paper with Sage Seated Under a Pine",
    "core": "obj",
    "dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
    "id": "149157",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Clip for Paper with Sage Seated Under a Pine",
    "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 was 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>Desk objects included paper weights, seals and seal paste boxes, brush rests, wrist rests, brush holders, water droppers, ink cakes, miniature mountains, and albums, all ranging in material from jade, gilt bronze, lacquer, and wood to porcelain.",
    "date": "1600s or 1700s",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1977.8",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q79930130"
    ],
    "creators": [
        35603
    ],
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Wood"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1977.8/1977.8_web.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1977.8/1977.8_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1977.8/1977.8_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Overall: 9.5 cm (3 3/4 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)"
    ],
    "accession": "1977.8"
}
Document source extras
{
    "tec": "carved bamboo",
    "tombstone": "Clip for Paper with Sage Seated Under a Pine, 1600s or 1700s. Pu Zhongqian (Chinese, active 1600s). Carved bamboo; overall: 9.5 cm (3 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Edward L. Whittemore Fund, 1977.8",
    "collection": "China - Ming Dynasty",
    "inscriptions": [
        {
            "inscription": "signed by the artist"
        }
    ],
    "didYouKnow": "Pu Zhongqian was considered a master bamboo carver.",
    "citations": [
        {
            "citation": "Sotheby's London.<em> Early Chinese Ceramics; Sung, Ming and Ch'ing Wares; Lacquer; Works of Art</em>. December 14, 1976. Lot 234."
        },
        {
            "citation": "Ip, Yee, and Laurence C. S. Tam. <em>Chinese Bamboo Carving</em> [中國竹刻藝術 = Zhongguo Zhu Ke Yi Shu]. Hong Kong: Urban Council, 1978.",
            "page_number": "Reproduced: cat. no. 22, p. 171, pl. 10"
        },
        {
            "citation": "Lee, Sherman E. “The Year in Review for 1977.” <em>The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art</em> 65, no. 1 (1978): 2–42.",
            "page_number": "Mentioned: no. 135, p. 42",
            "url": "https://www.jstor.org/stable/25159560"
        },
        {
            "citation": "Williams, Marjorie.<em> Chinese Painting--an Escape from the \"Dusty\" World</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1981.",
            "page_number": "Reproduced: fig. 42, p. 61"
        },
        {
            "citation": "Wang, Shixiang, and Wango H. C. Weng. <em>Bamboo Carving of China</em>. New York: China House Gallery, China Institute in America, 1983.",
            "page_number": "Reproduced: cat. no. 4"
        }
    ],
    "url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1977.8",
    "creditline": "Edward L. Whittemore Fund",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-29 07:40:40.997000",
    "imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1977.8/1977.8_print.jpg",
    "sourceId": 149157,
    "dept": "Chinese Art",
    "coll": "China - Ming Dynasty",
    "med": "carved bamboo",
    "creatorTags": [
        "male"
    ],
    "thumbnail_url": null,
    "image_url": null
}
Page context
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