Snuff Bottle with Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove
Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95)
Not on view
Represented often in the visual arts, the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove lived during the third century B.C. and were known for their scholarship, writing, and musical abilities. They are understood as exemplars of an unfettered and less corrupt lifestyle removed from the intrigue of the court. Here, the delicacy of the tiny bamboo stalks in the background and the use of these stalks to render depth exemplify the skillful bamboo carving characteristic of the eighteenth century.
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