Inkstand and desk tidy

The inkstand and desk tidy is decorated with quills, instruments to sharpen them, coins, as well as a coat of arms, thus reflecting the use of the object as well as the identity of its owner. The inscription “JC” which appears twice inside the round containers are probably the owner’s initials. On the back, the chinoiserie scene of a scholar meditating on a rock while gazing at the moon – a common motif of Chinese art – reflects intellectual pursuit. Used everyday, such objects have rarely survived.