Cleveland Museum of Art

Inkstone in the Form of a Koto

Date

1600s

Medium

Stoneware with underglaze iron decoration (Shino ware, Mino type)

Culture

Japan, Momoyama period (1573-1615) to Edo period (1615-1858)

Department

Japanese Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This hollow ink stone shaped like a musical instrument called a koto reflects the witty idea that music can inspire writing. The koto’s string and bridge were incised into the clay and then painted with underglaze iron pigment.

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