Inkwell
Unknown Artist
late 16th century
Medium
Copper alloy with light reddish brown patina and remains of a black lacquer patina.
Dimensions
H. 13.3 cm.
Classification
Metalwork-Bronze
Culture
Italian, Veneto (Verona?)
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1372
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant inkwell, crafted in the late 16th century in the Veneto region of Italy—possibly Verona—exempl the refined metalwork traditions of the Italian Renaissance. Standing just 13.3 centimeters tall, the copper alloy piece features a light reddish-brown patina with traces of black lac, highlighting the skilled casting techniques used to create durable yet decorative objects for daily use. Such inkwells were prized by scholars and nobles, blending practicality with artistic expression in a period when writing was both a craft and a status symbol. The work’s decorative program includes fe...