Black lacquer box with set of 12 ink cakes (detail)

Add to album

Chinese scholars considered paper, brush, ink, and ink stone as the Four Treasures of a scholar's study. The Four Treasures could also be found in the Manchu ruler's studio.

Illustrated here are two pieces of ink cakes. Chinese ink is a carbon black pigment produced from soot which is bound with animal glue and moulded in cake from. It is used for painting and writing.

The Chinese aesthetic idea of "ink-play" is to use ink in such a free manner that variations in ink tones will bring "the five colours".

Record details

To search on related items, click any underlined text below.

• Online ID: 000-190-001-307-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  A.1948.476
• Date: 18th century
  probably 18th century
  
• Material: Blue lacquered wood
  Box
  
• Dimensions: 418 mm L x 310 mm W x 48 mm deep
  
• What: Box
  
• Subject: Lacquer
  
• Who: Patrick Dudgeon (Collection)
  
• Where: China
  
• Event:
• Description: Box of blue lacquered wood: China, Ch'ing dynasty, probably 18th century
  
• References:
• Translations:
• Related Records: