隋至唐初 陶龜硯|"Inkstone" and cover in the shape of a turtle
Unknown Artist
6th–7th century
Medium
Earthenware
Dimensions
H. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm); W. 9 1/4 in. (23.5 cm); L. 11 5/8 in. (29.5 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
China · Sui (581–618)–Tang (618–907) dynasty
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, The Vincent Astor Foundation Gift, 2003
Accession Number
2003.82a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming earthenware inkstone, shaped like a turtle with its fitted cover, hails from China's Sui (581–618) to early (618–907) dynasties in the 6th–7th century. Measuring about 11½ inches long, this functional yet whimsical object was designed for grinding ink sticks to create liquid ink for calligraphy and painting—essential tools for the literati class. Crafted from low-fired earthenware, a prevalent medium of the era, it reflects the period's ceramic innovations bridging the Sui's unification efforts and the Tang's golden age of artistic flourishing. Turtles held profound symbolism in...