A fine Chinese Brushpot Bitong ‘Washing the Elephant’ The brush pot of large size with slightly curved sides, painted in rich tones of underglaze blue with the scene of ‘Washing the Elephant’; the full frontal representation of the elephant masterfully painted, the beast looking on with some trepidation as four servants are about to wash him, another servant already on his back, nearby a monk and a military figure look on and behind the monk by the gnarled ancient trees an old goat stands, the picture completed by swirling clouds and rock work, all between two borders of anhua incised pattern, the base unglazed. Period: Ming dynasty (1368 1644), Chongzhen period (1628 44). Height: 20 cm.