202 - A RED AND WHITE PORCELAIN BRUSH WASHER, CHINA, QING DYNASTY, KANGXI PERIOD

A RED AND WHITE PORCELAIN BRUSH WASHER, CHINA, QING DYNASTY, KANGXI PERIOD Dimensions: Height 8 cm Wide 10,4 cm Depth 10,4 cm Weight: 255 grams A finely potted Chinese porcelain brush washer of compact globular form, painted in iron-red on a white ground. Large chrysanthemum blossoms and scrolling leafy stems spread across the rounded body, while stylised clouds and a band of ruyi-shaped motifs animate the upper register. The restrained red-and-white palette gives the decoration unusual clarity, and the circular opening preserves the practical character of the scholar's vessel. Brush washers belonged to the group of objects associated with the Chinese writing desk, where utility and aesthetic pleasure were closely linked. Their low, rounded form was designed for rinsing brushes, but the surfaces offered painters and potters an opportunity to create miniature compositions intended for close inspection during scholarly use. A six-character underglaze-blue reign mark is stated to appear on the base within a double circle. The combination of literati function, tightly controlled iron-red decoration and balanced floral design gives the piece an elegant, intimate quality characteristic of refined Qing scholar's objects.