Elegant Compositions Tower
late 19th–early 20th century
Medium
Ink
Dimensions
H. 2 in. (5.1 cm); 4 in. (10.2 cm)
Classification
Ink
Culture & Period
China · late Qing dynasty (1644–1911) or early Republic period (1912–49)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1930
Accession Number
30.76.265
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Asian collection, *Elegant Compositions Tower is a delicate ink cake crafted by Jian Guzhai during China's late Qing dynasty (164–1911) or early Republic period (1912–49). Measuring just 2 inches high and 4 inches, this petite object exemplifies the refined artistry of traditional Chinese ink making. Compressed from pine soot and animal glue, ink cakes like this were essential tools for calligraphers and painters, rubbed on inkstones with water to produce the rich blacks vital to East Asian art. The title evokes poetic elegance, suggesting intricate...
About the Artist
Jian Guzhai
Jian Guzhai — meaning roughly "Studio for Appreciating the Antique" — was a renowned ink-tablet workshop operated by the Wang Jinsheng family in the Huizhou region of Anhui Province, China, one of the historic centers of fine inkstick production. Active during the late Qing dynasty (1644–1911) and possibly into the early Republic period (1912–49), the workshop was celebrated for producing ink tabl...