Ink Stand

ca. 1700 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The ink container is rectangular, painted with a chequerboard pattern in underglaze blue on top and a peony spray on each of the four sides in red, green and blue enamels. Seated on the container is a small boy, with legs bent flat to either side and heels touching, and arms akimbo, hands on calves. Black haired, he wears red rompers with a green and blue floral motif on the front. Behind him sit two monkeys, the female with a baby on her back, and painted with aubergine, grey and red enamels. In the boy's shoulders and on one side of the container are small holes for standing the brush in (they could also have acted as air vents in the kiln), and on the other side is a larger hole for dipping the brush through into the ink. The piece is fired on the flat base, which is unglazed with the remaining marks of four large spurs.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Porcelain decorated in underglaze blue and overglaze enamels
Brief description
Brush stand with seated boy and monkeys, porcelain decorated in underglaze blue and overglaze enamels; Japan, Arita kilns (Kakiemon type), Edo period, ca. 1700
Physical description
The ink container is rectangular, painted with a chequerboard pattern in underglaze blue on top and a peony spray on each of the four sides in red, green and blue enamels. Seated on the container is a small boy, with legs bent flat to either side and heels touching, and arms akimbo, hands on calves. Black haired, he wears red rompers with a green and blue floral motif on the front. Behind him sit two monkeys, the female with a baby on her back, and painted with aubergine, grey and red enamels. In the boy's shoulders and on one side of the container are small holes for standing the brush in (they could also have acted as air vents in the kiln), and on the other side is a larger hole for dipping the brush through into the ink. The piece is fired on the flat base, which is unglazed with the remaining marks of four large spurs.
Dimensions
  • Height: 17.7cm
  • Length: 12.7cm
  • Width: 11.2cm
Styles
Gallery label
(as at 2005)
Brush stand with seated boy and monkeys
Porcelain decorated in underglaze blue and overglaze enamels
Arita ware, Kakiemon style
JAPANESE; circa 1700
FE.5-1982
Subjects depicted
Other number
Loan Garner No. 62 - Previous loan number
Collection
Accession number
FE.5-1982

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
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