sculpture
asian-art
sculpture
china
Dimensions 1 9/16 x 5 5/8 x 8 1/2 in. (3.97 x 14.29 x 21.59 cm)
This is an inkstone by Chou Shao-lung, residing here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Notice the dark stone, its rectangular form softened by subtly rounded edges. The flat, expansive surface is offset by an intricately carved border at the top, depicting cloud-like forms and perhaps mythical creatures. The artist’s choice of material here is critical. Stone, with its inherent density and permanence, lends a sense of gravity and timelessness to the piece. But what does it mean to frame this sense of groundedness with motifs of clouds and fantastic beasts? Here we may find the artist destabilizing established meanings. By juxtaposing the grounded nature of the stone with ethereal symbols, Chou invites us to contemplate the relationship between the tangible and the intangible, between the earthly and the celestial realms. This inkstone thus functions not only as a tool but as a philosophical statement, a meditation on the interconnectedness of seemingly disparate elements.
Comments
The shape and properties of this inkstone from Duanzhou in Guangdong province derive from classical models of the late Tang and Song dynasties (10th century). A forty-two character inscription carved in official script (li shu) appears on the bottom, followed by a signature and two carved seals of Zhou Shaolong, an eighteenth-century inkstone carver. Duan inkstones became appreciated and collected by Song literary men. Some of the Tuan inkstones of both Su Shi (1036-1101) and Mi Fei (1051-1107) for instance have survived to the present day. Not until the Ming and Qing dynasties, however, did Duan inkstones become extremely high-quality scholar's objects. The most desirable were carved and inscribed with documentary verse, they soon became collector's items.
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