Asian Art in London
29 October - 7 November 2009
18. A Jade-Inset Zitan Ink Stand
Qianlong period (1736–95), the inset jade plaque Wanli period (1572–1620)
Carved from a whole piece of zitan wood as a stand with scroll ends. The wood is finely inlaid in silver with a lattice design on the top, and key pattern on edges. The jade belt plaque is pierced and carved with a writhing four-clawed dragon amidst foliage above cloud scrolls, and set above an inlaid abalone shell background.
16.5 cm. long; 6.5 cm. wide
This inkstand is carved from a whole piece of zitan wood, a lavish way of using this very expensive material. The fashion of re-inventing antique pieces for scholar’s desk is very popular during the late Ming and early Qing period. Here the craftsman has used a 16th century jade belt plaque as a ink cake stand. The jade carving is further offset by an abalone shell backing to give it extra lustre. A comparable inkstand with an antique jade inset is in the National Palace Museum, illustrated in Through the Prism of the Past, Taipei, 2003, nos. 1-11, p. 39. The Palace example was originally in the collection of painting connoisseur Xiang Yuanbian (1525–1590)(fig. 18). Another ink stand inset with jade is in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum – Scholar’s Objects, Hong Kong, 2009, no. 126, p. 147. However, this stand is inset with a piece of contemporary jade, not archaic jade (fig. 19).
