Blue and White Water Coupe

Alongside the Four Treasures of a Chinese scholar - paper, brush, ink, and inkstone - this delicate porcelain water coupe likely once resided on the desk of a great calligrapher. Created in the mid-19th century, this petite coupe would have sat beside an inkstone, and held the water used to mix the scholars' ink. A vibrant example of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain, the dish is painted with expressive brushstrokes in an abstract pattern. Once displayed as a source of creative inspiration, this sculptural piece lives on as a decorative paperweight, tealight holder, or dish to hold small precious objects.