Clip for Paper with Sage Seated Under a Pine
Pu Zhongqian (Chinese, active 1600s)
1600s or 1700s
Medium
carved bamboo
Dimensions
h. 9.5 cm
Classification
Wood
Department
Chinese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Edward L. Whittemore Fund
Accession Number
1977.8
Tags
male
About this artwork
In China, access to political power was granted to those who passed the civil service examinations, a system that offered official service only at a high level of education. Chinese literati-officials whose daily routine was administrative work in an office, enjoyed precious objects on their writing desks that offered distraction and demonstrated good taste. By the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties, these utensils of the literati studio became also collectibles and were treasured a...