Inkstone and cover with mandarin ducks in a lotus pond
Not on view
The simple, functional form of this work is typical of Song literati inkstones. Its cover is finely carved with a pair of mandarin ducks swimming in a lotus pond. The low-relief birds and lotus are further animated by lightly engraved ripples and windswept clouds. Similar patterns found on contemporary ceramics as well as on metalwork in gold or silver attest to the extensive exchange of motifs across different media at this time.
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