荒磯筆架あらいそひっか

  • 中国・明~清時代
  • 17c
  • 青銅鍍金製
  • H-6.3 D-12 W-3.4
解説(春の玉手箱)

 筆架とは筆を休めるためのもので、文房具のひとつとして様々な意匠のものが作られた。この作品は、たたなずく連山の下、表は轟轟たる水の流れに鯉が躍り上がらんとする意匠であり、裏面には一角の霊獣が立つ。このような鯉の意匠は、日本では荒磯と呼び慣らわされてきたが、中国・明時代には、鯉はむしろ登竜門を象徴するものであり、出世の道が開ける事にかけて、科挙を受験する学生への贈り物に、その図柄が好んで用いられた。
 連山形の筆架は、焼物にもよく見かけるが、本品は鏨で刻まれた魚の面構えといい、山の厚みや一角獣の体躯の立体感といい、重厚で力強い逸品である。

Catalogue Entry

A brush rest was a necessary desk accessory and they are known in all manner of designs and conceits. This work shows a range of mountains with a flowing stream at their base, complete with leaping carp. A single horned animal can be seen on the back of the mountain form. In Japan such carp motifs are known as an image of rough streams, but in Ming dynasty China this motif of fish leaping upstream symbolized striving to succeed, and hence desk accessories with this motif would have been a suitable gift for a person setting out on a new job, or diligently studying for school exams.

This type of mountain‐shaped brush rest can also frequently be found in ceramic forms. Here the interesting carp motif handling, deep mountains and seemingly three‐dimensional horned animal all make this a powerful, weighty heirloom.