COLLECTION NAME:
National Palace English
Record
Work ID:
M010A0016
Title:
Zhao Mengfu's instone of stalactite
Creation Date:
Yuan Dynasty
Start Year Date:
A.D.1271
End Year Date:
A.D.1368
Dynasty:
44 Yuan Dynasty (A.D. 1272~1368)
Creation Place:
China
Measurements:
Length: 16.8 cm; Width: 10.1 cm; Thickness: 6.2 cm
Material:
Duan stone
Form:
Yan (ink-stone)
Type:
Studio accessories
Repository:
The National Palace Museum, Taipei
Description:
This inkstone is rectangular and in chaoshou style. Chaoshou style is a design of tall and thick inkstone with a cave-like opening underneath for heating purposes during the cold season. Therefore one of the walls is missing. The ink-well is a thin and horizontal depression situated on the top. Three of the four sides have raised rims, except the side on the lower end. Dull purple in color, the inkstone reveals some purplish horizontal lines, and has a green stone-eye in the center of the ink-face where ink is ground. On the back of the inkstone, there are 31 pillars, and each has a green stone-eye and a yellow spot that resembles the pupil of a human eye. On the left side, an inscription in xin-shu (running style) is carved. The inscription describes the inkstone as following: "It is smooth and lustrous like jade, and the ink ground is thick as nectar. Because it is used in the office of literacy, it should also be suitable for the palace of the God of literature." The inscription is followed by a concluding endorsement in xin-shu (running style). On the wall on the right side, there are two stamps; one is a gourd, and the other is a rectangular bookmark, "collection of Songxue studio." On the wall of the upper end, an inscription composed by Qianlong is carved in kai-shu (regular style).
ImageV ID:
M010A0016AS001
Rights:
Lee & Lee Communications