Neptune and the Water Nymph Inkstand

This inkstand capitalizes on classical mythology. Two examples, each with a different finish, are pictured.

1. Description and Mythology

• Subject: The inkstand depicts a scene from Classical Mythology in an aquatic setting.
  • Neptune (or Poseidon): He is the large, central, dominant figure, identifiable as the Roman God of the Sea.
  • The Nymph: The smaller, nude female figure is a Nereid (sea nymph) or a naiad (water nymph). Her gesture of touching Neptune’s face suggests a moment of petition, devotion, or intimate interaction.
• Composition: The figures are arranged dynamically on a flat base that represents the sea or water. This flat area, molded with waves and a lotus plant, is an area for resting pens.

1. Materials and Functionality

• Material: The inkstand is made of spelter (a zinc alloy).
• Inkwell Mechanism: The functional element is integrated into the primary figure:
  • Inkwell Access: Neptune’s head (or a detailed helmet/headdress atop his head) is hinged, swinging open to reveal the ink white ceramic reservoir.

III. Style, Age, and Origin

• Style: The style is Late Romantic/Academic Sculpture, heavily influenced by French Art Nouveau or Neoclassical tradition. The dramatic pose, classical subject matter, and nude figures were immensely popular in this period.
• Age: The material (spelter) and the complexity of the figure group place this piece in the Late Victorian or Belle Époque era.
  • Estimated Age: c. 1880–1910.
• Origin: The sophistication of the casting and the mythological subject matter strongly suggest a French workshop. Paris was the center for this style of cast metal sculpture, which was often exported across Europe and America.

1. Summary

This is a figural standish where the scene tells a story:

This inkstand is a Late 19th-Century Figural Standish depicting a mythological scene. The central figure, Neptune (God of the Sea), is flanked by a Water Nymph (Nereid) whose nude form and gesture of touching his face emphasize the emotional or narrative focus of the scene. The figures stand on a molded aquatic base which is flattened to serve as the pen tray. The functional inkwell is hidden beneath Neptune’s hinged helmet or headdress.