Inkstand
mid- 19th century
Classification
metalwork
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor Garnier Hewitt
Accession Number
1931-65-6-a,b
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection, this elegant *Inkstand* by French artisan Paul Sormani (1817–ca. 1877) exemplifies the exquisite metalwork of mid-19th-century Europe. Crafted during a golden age of decorative arts under France's Second Empire, inkstands like this were prized desk accessories for the elite—functional yet luxurious vessels for ink, quills, and seals, symbolizing refined taste and intellectual pursuits. Sormani, a master Parisian cabinetmaker and bronzier, was renowned for his intricate, historically inspired designs that revived opulent styles like L...