Chinese Calligraphy Brushes in Boxes. One brush curved, the other straight. Both brushes inscribed with kanji, ornate weave on exterior of boxes.

Straight size (box): 12 X 1 1/4 X 1 1/4 in.

Straight size (brush): 11 1/2 in.

#5419 .

Curved size (box): 13 1/4 X 2 1/2 X 1 1/2 in.

Curved size (brush): 11 1/2 in.

#5420 .

Calligraphy is the writing of Chinese characters as an art form, considered one of the most sought-after skills of ancient Chinese along with playing instruments and painting. It focuses not only on methods of writing but also on cultivating one’s character and a sense of motion within the words themselves. The earliest surviving examples of calligraphy are engraved in bone, and record divinations of the Shang dynasty around 1250 BC. Contemporary Chinese characters were developed by the beginning of the Common Era, and were linked to the spread of Taoism and Buddhism. Although the main writing implement of the time was already the brush, little paper survives from this period. During the 4th Century calligraphy was standardized in the kaishu style. The ink brush, ink, paper, and inkstone are essential implements of Chinese calligraphy, known together as the Four Treasures of the Study. The body of the brush is commonly made from bamboo or other materials such as wood, porcelain, or horn. The head of the brush is typically made from animal hair, such as rabbit, deer, goat, wolf, or even using the hair of a newborn child, as a personalized once-in-a-lifetime souvenir. Calligraphy brushes are widely considered an extension of the calligrapher’s arm, and the implements of celebrated calligraphers are treasured just as much as the works of art they produce.

Location A2