Inkstone

Although stone was the most suitable material for grinding ink, ceramic inkstones became popular in the late Ming dynasty. The most common shape for porcelain inkstones was a flattened cylinder with its center left unglazed for grinding. This surface was surrounded by a groove, and the inkstone was typically decorated in underglaze blue-and-white. This one displays flowers and fruit of the fall and winter seasons, namely chrysanthemums and plums. On the bottom is a 49-character verse imitating, in archaic style, a Bronze-Age inscription.