This brush pot is carved from a section of bamboo, with rosewood inlay at the mouth and base. The exterior of the pot is decorated with an openwork carving image of a scholar drinking wine under a pine tree. In the background, a diagonal line running from top right to bottom left helps to create a sense of distant hills. On one side of the pot, an ancient pine tree shades a scholar who is depicted seated on the ground surrounded by wine bowls. The scholar has his left arm extended behind him and his right arm raised; a servant is supporting him and helping him stay upright. The scholar’s joyful expression suggests a state of happy intoxication. The pot as a whole represents an exquisitely detailed composition with superb layering; it is a testament to the power of art to move the human soul.

H: 14.3 cm