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CALLIGRAPHY BRUSHES
Availability in Belgium
Availabilty in US

Calligraphy brushes are used in Chinese calligraphy. They are also used in Chinese painting and descendant brush painting styles

277426 - Beijing - Late 19^th C.

Brushes differ greatly in terms of size, texture, material and cost. Generally sizes are classified as either big, medium or small. Most calligraphy is written with a medium-sized brush. The smallest brushes are used for very small pieces and to sign works. Medium brushes are the most widely used; wielded by a skilled artist, a medium brush can produce a variety of thicknesses of line, from very thin to fairly thick. The largest brushes are used only for very large pieces. The texture of the brushes are either soft, hard or mixed. Certain textures are better for writing certain styles than others are.
Normally the brush is made from Sheep, Pig, Mouse, buffalo, wolf and rabbit hair, while exotic ones can be made from tiger, fowls, deer, yellow weasel and even human baby hair (from the first haircut a baby gets, said to bring good fortune while taking the Imperial examinations. For the stalk material usually normal bamboo is used.
Exotic brushes instead may use materials like gold, silver, jade, ivory, red sandalwood or mottled bamboo.