Brushwasher
On View In:
Gallery 208
Artist:   Artist Unknown  
Title:   Brushwasher  
Date:   Liao dynasty  
Medium:   Stoneware with moulded decor under green and amber glaze  
Dimensions:   2 1/16 x 6 1/16 x 4 1/8 in. (5.24 x 15.4 x 10.48 cm)  
Credit Line:   Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton  
Location:   Gallery 208  

With its shallow oval shape and quatrefoil outline, this tenth century ceramic brushwasher is likely based on a silver vessel. The upright sides are molded in high relief with "precious objects" flanked by stylized florets with "classic scroll" borders around the rim and base. The decoration has been picked out in bright green while the background is glazed in amber brown, two of the most common glaze colors in Liao dynasty (907-1125) ceramics.

A pair of octafoil brushwashers with the same colors as this vessel and similar moulded décor was excavated in 1977 from a Liao dynasty tomb in Wengniute County, Inner Mongolia.


Object Description  
  
Classification:   Ceramic  
Physical Description:   quadrilobed design; edges decorated with applied stamped scroll and floral designs; green and tan glaze  
Creation Place:   Asia, China  
Accession #:   2000.158.2  
Owner:   The Minneapolis Institute of Arts