Inkstand with Apollo and the Muses
This extravagant desk set celebrates the art of poetry while providing a writer with storage for the tools of his craft. The exterior decorations evoke ancient Roman art and honor the divine sources of creativity. Gods and muses perch beside famous poets atop an elaborate confection of drawers and removable containers, including inkwells and a sand-shaker (for drying fresh text). Inside, the compartments are decorated with images denoting their contents, such as scissors and quills.
Credit: The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931 ...
Credit: The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931 ...
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1584
Maiolica (tin-glazed earthenware)
48.3 x 52.1cm
32.100.363a-f
Image and text © Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2019
Where you'll find this
Permanent collection