Inkstone “Moon and Cloud”
The subtle dark color and fine texture of this piece identify it as a top-quality stone from She prefecture (Anhui province), one of the four most famous sources for inkstones in China. To preserve as much of the precious material as possible, the slab was left largely intact, with only a small well carved out to hold the ink. The stone’s natural banding suggests clouds crossing the moon-shaped crevice. The work combines modern minimalism with the traditional scholarly taste for unadorned simplicity.
Artwork Details
- 現代 朱岱製“雲月”歙硯
- Title: Inkstone “Moon and Cloud”
- Artist: Zhu Dai (Chinese, born 1968)
- Date: 2009
- Culture: China
- Medium: Slate
- Dimensions: H. 1 1/8 in. (2.9 cm); W. 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm); L. 7 1/2 in. (19.1 cm)
- Classification: Inkstone
- Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2021
- Object Number: 2021.8
- Rights and Reproduction: © Zhu Dai
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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Chinese (Uighyur)
late 20th Century
China
China
second half 15th century
Chinese
17th–19th century
China
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