Armrest: Gathering of Literati
Location
Era
Qing dynasty (1644-1911)
Title
Armrest: Gathering of Literati
Date
18th c.
Materials
Ivory
Dimensions
26.5 x 7.1 cm
Credits
Gift of F. Gerald Robinson, inv. 1962.Ed.1
Collection
Archeology and World Cultures
This armrest was used by a member of the literati to support the arm when painting or writing. While the choice of ivory makes reference to the power of exotica, its shape, mimicking bamboo, associates that plant’s traditional meanings of resilience and honesty with the literati.
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