Cylindrical Brush Pot with Figures in a Landscape

The cobalt-blue painting on this small brush holder alludes to the tale of the 11th-century poet Lin Bu. Dwelling in seclusion by the West Lake in Hangzhou in southeast China, Lin regarded the plum trees as his closest companions and the cranes as cherished children. Once this object arrived on a scholar’s desk, it would have reflected the owner’s refined taste and his longing to retreat from daily life.