Item No.: 1710
Name: Blue-and-white and underglaze-red brush washer with a boy and lotus
Period: Yuan dynasty
The boy has a dignified appearance, with his back straight and his gaze directed forward, his expression calm and solemn. He wears a Han-style robe patterned with small flowers, its left lapel crossing over the right. Deep cobalt blue defines the collar and cuffs, while delicate floral and foliate motifs cover the robe. With both hands resting on the rim of the brush washer, he sits upright in a composed and respectful posture.
Three red lotus blossoms in full bloom adorn the rim, symbolizing integrity and incorruptibility. The pairing of the boy and the lotus expresses a wish for many children, abundant blessings and the continuation of the family line, together with the hope that descendants will preserve purity of character and an innate kindness. The work brings aspirations for family prosperity and the moral character of future generations into an everyday object for the scholar’s desk.