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

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

Zhang Xihuang

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

A tour de force of carving skill, the design on this brush holder is cut from the lighter skin of the bamboo so that it stands in relief against the darker, fibrous stalk. The subject is a gathering hosted by Ouyang Xiu (1007–1072) in 1045. Ouyang later composed an ode to commemorate the event, and to poke fun at himself for being both the eldest and the most easily intoxicated of the guests.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.