Inkstand with Apollo and the Muses

Workshop of the Patanazzi family Italian
1584
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 503
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.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Inkstand with Apollo and the Muses
  • Maker: Workshop of the Patanazzi family (Italian, active ca. 1580–1620)
  • Maker: Probably after Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio or Santi) (Italian, Urbino 1483–1520 Rome)
  • Date: 1584
  • Culture: Italian, Urbino
  • Medium: Maiolica (tin-glazed earthenware)
  • Dimensions: Overall: 19 × 20 1/2 × 14 7/8 in. (48.3 × 52.1 × 37.8 cm)
  • Classification: Ceramics-Pottery
  • Credit Line: The Friedsam Collection, Bequest of Michael Friedsam, 1931
  • Object Number: 32.100.363a–f
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

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