The taste of the literati – Scholars objects F281

Chinese scholar’s objects were, in a sense, the luxury goods of their time, but rather than wealth what they really represented was the physical embodiment of the scholar’s intellectual curiosity and aesthetic taste.

The studios of the scholars were filled with beautiful paintings, calligraphy, tools for writing and painting, furniture, antiques and implements for tea and wine.

The fascinating history of the literati scholar in China dates back to the Tang and Song dynasties (AD 618–907 and AD 960–1279, respectively), when the court implemented meritocratic civil exams for the selection of bureaucratic officials. Here we have curated a selection of items from Swedish Collectors.