Blue and White Seal Ink Box

This petite porcelain box has the shallow, rounded form of a seal ink box, traditionally used by scholar-officials to mark their works with a personalized seal. The final addition to any document or calligraphy painting, seal marks conveyed the scholar's authority and affirmed the document's authenticity. A mixture of ground mugwort, oil, and vermillion, seal ink was among the four treasures of the scholar's studio and thus warranted its own cherished accessories. This porcelain ink box is glazed in the blue-and-white style with a sinuous dragon, a symbol of ambition, dignity and power. The underside is painted with the reign mark of the Qianlong period (1736-1795).