Brush holder with “Ode to the Pavilion of the Inebriated Old Man” 1600 - 1633

Editor: So, this piece is a brush holder carved from wood, created sometime between 1600 and 1633 by Zhang Xihuang. The title is wonderfully poetic: “Ode to the Pavilion of the Inebriated Old Man.” I’m struck by the detail, how the landscape almost seems to wrap around it like a story. What do you see in this piece beyond its obvious function? Curator: Oh, the stories this little vessel could tell! It’s more than just a container, isn’t it? It's a miniature world, a scholar's retreat made tangible. Xihuang wasn’t just carving bamboo; he was evoking a whole philosophy, a yearning for escape, perhaps. Do you notice how the pavilion, our “Inebriated Old Man’s” haven, is nestled within the landscape, almost hidden? It makes me wonder what he was running from – or towards! Editor: That’s a really lovely idea. I hadn't considered the notion of escape so explicitly. I was more drawn to the craft itself. The way the artist managed to create so much depth in the carving... it's incredible! The little figures are so delicately placed into the scenery. Curator: Indeed! Imagine the patience, the precision! But what do you think the act of repeatedly seeing this small world did to its user? It would definitely add a little peace in my studio, always chaotic… Maybe each glance offered a tiny vacation, a momentary respite, which made for even more calligraphy and ink painting? It makes me think what "retreats" exist today for all of us. Editor: That’s fascinating to consider. It shifts my understanding entirely, making it more than decorative. Thanks for that insight! Curator: My pleasure! Art is a looking glass, and we just see slightly different reflections of our own human stories, after all.