Inkwell

Art Historical Context

This charming inkwell, crafted around 1750 in Mexico, exemplifies the everyday artistry of colonial-era ceramics. Made of tin-glazed earthenware technique where a tin oxide coating creates a glossy, white surface ideal for vibrant painted decorations—this small vessel (just 4 inches in diameter would have served practical purposes in homes or offices, holding ink for quills during an age of handwritten correspondence. Tin-glazing, introduced to Mexico via Spanish colonizers from Islamic and European traditions, flourished in New Spain's pottery centers like Puebla and Mexico City. Mexican pot...