COLLECTION NAME:
National Palace English
Record
Work ID:
M010A0040
Title:
Old Duan stone inkstone with six dragons
Creation Date:
Qing Dynasty
Start Year Date:
A.D.1644
End Year Date:
A.D.1911
Dynasty:
63 Qing Dynasty (A.D. 1644~1911)
Creation Place:
China
Measurements:
Length: 27.4 cm; Width: 18.7 cm; Thickness: 7.2 cm
Material:
Duan stone
Form:
Yan (ink-stone)
Type:
Studio accessories
Subject:
Dragon
Repository:
The National Palace Museum, Taipei
Description:
This inkstone is sculpted into an elliptical shape from a piece of duan stone. Except for the ink-face where ink is ground, the sides are carved with six dragons coiling with one another in a sea of clouds. The inkwell is situated in the middle of the dragons, and on its top and bottom, there are two stone-eyes. This image approximates the dragons playing with pearls. The color of the inkstone is banana-leaf white, the greenish white color that resembles the color of young banana leaves emerged from the purple base color of the inkstone. The right side reveals a natural pattern, huona, resulted from the change of the mineral composition of the stone over time. The back of the inkstone has five stone-eyes surrounded by the pattern of drifting clouds. It also has an inscription without an endorsement. The left side has a poem by Qianlong, inscribed in kai-shu (regular style).
ImageV ID:
M010A0040AS002
Rights:
Lee & Lee Communications