Inktpot van inktstel 1725 - 1750

This is Jurriaan van Kalker's ink pot, a humble vessel that belies the potent symbolism it carries. The cylindrical form, meticulously banded, echoes ancient architectural columns – think of the Tower of Babel, a testament to humanity's ambition and the perils of hubris. The act of containing, of holding ink, evokes the preservation of knowledge, the safeguarding of words against the ravages of time. Yet, ink itself is transformative, chaotic, capable of birthing both enlightenment and destruction. Consider the serpent, an ancient symbol of cyclical change. It sheds its skin to be reborn, yet it coils, ready to strike. The inkwell is like the serpent, as ink represents rebirth, the blank page becoming something new, but also holds darkness: lies, secrets, and forbidden knowledge. The containment of ink speaks to the delicate balance between order and chaos, creation and destruction, a theme that resurfaces throughout human history and continues to resonate within our collective subconscious.