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Antique Ming Dynasty Chinese Inkstone

About the Item

This inkstone is from the Ming dynasty in China, and would have been used to grind hardened 'inksticks' of pigment into paint through a process of rubbing and mixing with water. The inkstone is of rectangular form, and features a circular inkwell within an engraved square to the lower end, which is where the inkstick would be ground and watered. Surrounding the inkwell are engraved multiple inscriptions, a verse from the poem 'Yu Zhu Zi Deng Yan Shan' by Meng Haoran, 'Shi You' meaning 'friend of stones' and the seals of 'Wang An' and 'Xiao Shan Ya Wan' below the well with a mark reading 'Ya Gu Tang.' The inkstone is engraved to the underside with a verse from the poem 'Wen Liu Shi Jiu' by Bai Juyi. The stone is signed by Wu Wenhua (1521-1598) and dated 'The forty-second year of the Jiajing Period, Ming Dynasty,' corresponding to the year 1563.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 12.21 in (31 cm)Width: 7.88 in (20 cm)Depth: 1.58 in (4 cm)
  • Style:
    Chinoiserie (Of the Period)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Stone,Engraved
  • Place of Origin:
    China
  • Period:
    16th Century
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1563
  • Condition:
  • Seller Location:
    London, GB
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: 128221stDibs: LU95639654251

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