Tooth carved figure square pen holder

[Tooth Carved Figure Square Penholder]

Tooth Carved Figure Square Penholder, mid Qing Dynasty, 11.7cm high, 9cm diameter. The old collection of the Qing Palace
The square body of the pen holder is recessed at the four corners to create a sunflower petal style, and is decorated with an engraved curve, which is quite ingenious. A circular cavity is carved in the center of the bottom, which should have been fitted with a base, but is now missing. Each side of the cylinder is illuminated in a square corner with a raised relief method, and a variant Kui pattern is decorated to follow the shape of the light, embossing landscape characters in a double light. The content is all about reclusive themes in the literary garden, such as playing the piano, playing chess, inscribing walls, and getting drunk. Although the characters are small, their eyebrows look like they are, and their expressions are vivid. The scenery is not only cut in fragments, but also finely carved, which serves as an excellent foil
This utensil has a rigorous craftsmanship and an elegant theme, which is quite typical of palace tooth carving in the mid Qing Dynasty.

牙雕人物方笔筒局部