Triangular Calligraphy Set 4 Brushes

This handsome set contains all the tools necessary to create traditional Chinese calligraphy. Included are four fine brushes made of ornamented bamboo and hair, a blue and white porcelain brush rest, a stick of solid black ink, a stone palette for mixing ink, a porcelain water holder, a soapstone chop, ready to be carved with your own artist mark, a decorated porcelain pot filled with red ink, and a brass spoon. The set is presented in a fan shaped case covered in muted green and gold brocade with bone fasteners. The interior is lined in red velvet, with molded indentations to hold each item.

The word calligraphy literally means beautiful writing. Before the invention of the printing press some 500 years ago, it was the way books were made. Each copy was handwritten out by a scribe working in a scriptorium. The hand writing was done with quill and ink onto materials like vellum or parchment. The lettering style applied was one of the period bookhands like rustic, carolingian, blackletter, etc.

Today, there are three main types or styles of calligraphy: (1) Western or Roman, (2) Arabic, and (3) Chinese or Oriental. This project focuses mainly on Western calligraphy with a glimpse at the other two styles.