Inktstel van zilver. Blad met uitgebogen voorzijde; inktpot en zandstrooier meloenvormig, tafelbel peervormig

About this artwork

Purchased with the support of the Stichting tot Bevordering van de Belangen van het Rijksmuseum

Art Historical Context

This elegant silver inkstand, crafted by Dutch silversmith Laurens Potmans between about 1773 and 1782, reflects the refined tastes of the late eighteenth century. The set includes a tray with a gracefully flared front, a melon-shaped inkpot, a matching sand shaker for drying ink, and a pear-shaped table bell—all rendered in gleaming silver that weighs nearly a kilogram. Such objects combined practicality with display, serving as essential tools on the writing desks of merchants, officials, and the educated elite. Silver’s popularity for desk accessories during this period stemmed from its durability, luminous beauty, and status as a luxury material. Potmans’s design highlights the period’s appreciation for organic, curving forms that turned everyday writing implements into small works of art. The precise shaping of the vessels and the balanced proportions of the tray demonstrate the high level of craftsmanship expected in Dutch silverwork of the time. Acquired by the Rijksmuseum with support from the Stichting tot Bevordering van de Belangen van het Rijksmuseum, the inkstand offers visitors a glimpse into the material culture of Enlightenment-era correspondence and the enduring appeal of finely wrought metalwork.