The Restful Harmony Library
late 19th–early 20th century
Medium
Pine soot and binding medium; inscribed in gilt
Dimensions
W. 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm); L. 3 in. (7.6 cm)
Classification
Ink
Culture & Period
China · late Qing dynasty (1644–1911) or early Republic period (1912–49)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1930
Accession Number
30.76.279
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate ink stick, titled *The Restful Harmony Library*, was created by the Chinese artist Jian Guzhai during the late Qing dynasty or early Republic period. Measuring just three inches long, the small rectangular form reflects the refined craftsmanship of traditional Chinese ink makers, who produced these objects not only for practical use but also as treasured scholarly items. The work belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Asian Art collection and carries the evocative name suggesting it may have been made for a private library or study. Crafted from pine soot and a binding medi...
About the Artist
Jian Guzhai
Jian Guzhai — meaning roughly "Studio for Appreciating the Antique" — was a renowned ink-tablet workshop operated by the Wang Jinsheng family in the Huizhou region of Anhui Province, China, one of the historic centers of fine inkstick production. Active during the late Qing dynasty (1644–1911) and possibly into the early Republic period (1912–49), the workshop was celebrated for producing ink tabl...