A fine bone and ivory brush

Qing Dynasty

Qing Dynasty
The long cylindrical shaft inlaid with various auspicious items including lingzhi, musical chimes, ingots, and books, the top carved with Jin Dongxin, the bulbous ferrule at the bottom of the shaft with animal hair. 27cm (10 1/2in) long.

清 骨牙雕嵌雜寶紋筆
「金冬心」款

Jin Dongxin refers to Jin Nong (1687-1763 or 1764) one of the Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou, a group of generally nonconformist artists. Jin Nong's uniqueness was his 'lacquered' style calligraphy with straight angular lines, resembling lacquer applied with a wooden spatula rather than a brush. He also preserved his independence by selling works in an open market, rather than adopting an individual patron. His openness to selling his paintings or calligraphy for money still went against the grain of literati ideals which argued that true literati art should be done by amateurs who did not need money which would have inhibited their expression.