The sancai glazed biscuit ink stick box is decorated with crosshatch patterns on the cover.
The sancai glazed biscuit ink stick box is decorated with crosshatch patterns on the cover.
An identical ink stick box is in the collection of the Marie Vergottis museum (John Ayers, La Collection de porcelaines chinoises de Marie Vergottis, 2004, no. 99).
Ink stick boxes, known as “zhīyǐ” (执笔) or more commonly as “tǐng” (亭) in China, are traditional tools inseparable from Chinese calligraphy.
Historically, these ink sticks were made from soot, resin, and other ingredients to produce various colors according to the artists’ needs. The quality of the ink, as well as the tools used to apply it, is essential for the success of a calligraphic work, which is considered an art form in its own right in China.
Chinese scholars have often used ink stick boxes not only for their practicality but also as a symbol of their social and cultural status.
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