A range of small porcelain vessels were made for the scholar’s desk, including superbly modelled organic forms such as this brush-washer. Skilful modelling resulted in the naturalistic appearance of this ingenious design, with a lotus bud ‘growing’ from the centre of the leaf-shaped vessel, with finely incised veins. This and similar pieces have been variously dated from circa 1640 into the second half of the 17th century on the basis of style and the cool white glassy glaze.Dehua, located on the southeast coast of Fujian province, is well known for its production of white porcelain, known to Europeans as 'blanc de Chine'. The earliest Dehua porcelain was produced as early as the 14th century but the production and quality of these porcelain peaked around the 17th and 18th centuries.
