The Art of the Brush

Chinese calligraphy dates back centuries and is so much more than just letters and words. It is an art form that requires the artist to express their feelings and use motion to create the thousands of different flourishes and combination of strokes which make up the Chinese characters.

Chinese calligraphy and ink & wash painting are very similar in that they both use similar tools and techniques and have a long history of shared artistry.

Our individually hand selected range of original hand carved calligraphy and ink & wash brushes are made exactly the same way as the ones that were used to decorate the vases, ornaments, vanity screens and furnishings of ancient China.

These beautiful brushes are collectible artifacts in their own right. Historically carved from bamboo, redwood, local stone, marble, animal horn and embellished with ceramics they are made with a variety of animal hair primarily white goat hair, black rabbit hair, yellow weasel hair or sometimes a mix depending on the desired brush stroke. These types of brushes known as Húbi have been prized since the Ming dynasty.

Some early period smaller brushes were made with the hair of the first haircut of an infant for good prosperity, but these rare and personal brushes are today more often kept in the family as  keepsakes.

FIND US

Orient House, 45 Bridge Road, Glebe, NSW Australia
Phone (02) 9660 3895
orienthouse@orienthouse.com.au