Rhinoceros Horn Cup with Eight Daities Design and Wen Shu’s Mark, 17th century, late Ming to early Qing dynasty-China Archive

Image Number: K1G000251N000000000PAB
Dynasty: Ming dynasty
Category: Carvings
Function: Furnisher
Material: Animal/horn/rhinoceros horn
Description:
The whole device is carved from rhinoceros horn. It has a wide mouth, deep wall, narrow and thin abdomen, flat bottom, dark brown body and black bottom. There are high relief landscape figures, with rugged rocks and tall pine trees as the main scenery. The thick or thin trunks protrude from the wall of the utensil. Seventeen figures are interspersed among them, either riding a horse, or painting, or sitting, or sleeping alone. The peddlers on the bridge pass by with carts, and the crowners feast around the table. Some people lean on the vats to drink, and some people lift their glasses to loose. At the edge of the cup, there are pine branches stretching along the cliff wall to the clouds. At the bottom of the cup, stones and water waves are carved. On the stone, regular script “Wen Shu” is engraved in shade. Zhou Wenshu, a craftsman who was good at making rhinoceros horn in Nanjing during the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, may have thought that he was the author of this instrument. However, it may be later to use this device to decorate and carve words.