Cylindrical brush holder (bitong)

The small floral panels embracing ornaments that were used for bordering necks or shoulders on Ming wares were used as the main motifs on the bodies of the Kangxi period, as shown on this piece. One side of this container was painted with a panel depicting a bee-and-flower scene. The other side holds a landscape framed in a square shape, a lake scene accented by rocks and trees produced with heavy washes, and with strong and light linear work for stems and water. The small concave, circular center on the base was a typical feature of Kangxi brush holders.