This stout, solid brush pot is carved from zitan in the shape of a tubular tree burr. The pot retains much of the original external appearance of the zitan trunk from which it was carved, but some relief carving has been added in places to enhance the impression of a tree burr, creating a diverting contrast in size. Full-bodied with smooth, flowing lines, this would have been a first-class ornament for a scholar’s desk.

H: 21 cm