Sample of Smoky Quartz
Unknown Artist
20th century
Medium
Quartz
Dimensions
H. 1 in. (2.5 cm); W. 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm); L. 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm)
Classification
Hardstone
Culture
China
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Joan Hartman-Goldsmith, 1981
Accession Number
1981.296.67
Art Historical Context
Behold this exquisite *Sample of Smoky Quartz a petite treasure from 20th-century, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Asian Art department Measuring just 1 inch high, 1¼ inches wide, and inches long, this natural quartz specimen captivates with its smoky translucent hues—ranging from warm browns to deeper charcoals—formed by natural irradiation within the earth. As a hardstone, it exemplifies the raw beauty prized in Chinese mineralogy, where quartz varieties have long been revered for their clarity and durability. In Chinese culture, hardstones like smoky quartz held profound signi...