Ink Tablet with Peach Tree

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Ink for calligraphy and painting was made from soot mixed with a binding medium and formed into ink tablets, which were then ground with water to yield the liquid ink. Ink tablets were among the objects especially treasured and keenly appreciated by Chinese scholars. This ink tablet is decorated with a design of a peach tree, symbolic of longevity. An inscription indicates that it was made in 1576 in the workshop of Fang Yulu (active ca. 1570–1619) under the supervision of Cheng Dayue (Cheng Junfang, 1541–ca. 1616), both famous inkmakers

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art