Carved Bamboo Brush Holder (bitong). China Or Japan Circa 1900.

The bamboo is intricately carved with temples in a lakeside setting. The base and top rim are carved from boxwood. The artist has cut out his decoration with virtuosity, pushing the difficulty of completely clearing from the background certain parts in high relief, notably the temple pillars and certain tree branches (see photos) The character slowly climbing the path with difficulty is an old man bent by the years, in 2 cuts of the scissors the artist knew how to express it. He did not sign his work, but a specialist will certainly know to whom to attribute this sculpture, a label stuck below, gives indications which will probably help him in his research. Considered as Japanese by the former collector we must today revise this origin, because the label is Chinese and the temple despite its resemblance to the Kiyomizudera of Kyoto and its famous pillars is not the latter, because the temple sculpted here has its pillars in the water. Chinese work circa 1900, end of the Qing or beginning of the Republican period. Bamboo in perfect condition, upper boxwood mount with 3 chips (see photo). Height: 181mm.