L160xD100xH120mm, China
A Shi Wan figurine of a gentlemen admiring a piece of inkstone, on the bench is an armrest for calligraphy. He is Su Dong Po, a very known scholar of the Sung dynasty, also well known is the recipe for double cooked pork belly. Amongst the inkstone collectors, Dong Po is a inkstone fanatic and his dispersed collection is well thought after by many today.
A good sword is well treasured by a martial artist, like a mirror to a beauty and an inkstone for a calligrapher. When Dong Po was a boy, he found a green piece of stone which is perfect for testing ink, realizing its a rare find his father had it made into an inkstone for his son. Dong Po had it by his side throughout his career and treasured it so much that he inscribed a piece of writing on the back of the stone, the famous “sky stone”. Knowing of his hobby, the emperor also rewarded him with other good pieces of inkstones.
Mountain Folkcraft 