Meisterstück Calligraphy a Tribute to Fine Chinese Craftsmanship Limited Edition 8 Fountain Pen Curved Nib

Chinese calligraphy encompasses a complex world of beauty and cultural history. Originating in Bronze Age China around 5,000 years ago, it is one of the oldest written languages in the world. Since the beginnings of Chinese writing lie so far back in the mists of time, legends explaining how such a miracle occurred have become woven into the fabric of Chinese cultural tradition. In these origin myths, of which there are many versions, the tale always revolves around Cangjie, who is credited with germinating the very idea of a written language. The Meisterstück Great Masters Calligraphy Tribute to Fine Chinese Craftsmanship Limited Edition 8 expresses the wonder of the Cangjie legend and simultaneously honours the centuries-old traditional art of paper cutting. The invention of paper also led to the birth of a much-treasured, traditional Chinese art form which is inextricably linked with Chinese culture: Jiǎnzhǐ, the art of paper cutting. Using only scissors or a knife, artists transform this humble material into complex, filigree motifs which come to life through the interplay of light and shade. This limited edition acknowledges this centuries-old craft by emulating the typical intricate appearance of a Chinese paper cutting, artfully executed using the distinguished enamelling technique of Champlevé. As a symbol of dignity and beauty, a splendid peacock displaying its magnificently coloured tail adorns the cap and barrel. The carefully selected blue and green shades of the peacock’s plumage harmonise perfectly with the solid Au 750 lime gold of which this writing jewel is made. Montblanc is using this patented gold tone for the very first time on a writing instrument, giving this limited edition an even more spectacular look. Echoing the peacock’s natural habitat and honouring Cangjie’s deep affinity with nature, whose shapes and patterns were the inspiration behind many of his characters, the bird is depicted against artful engravings of branches and twigs with painstakingly chosen and hand-set jade evoking the trees’ green canopies. Skilfully hand-engraved twigs also twine around both the cap top and cone. Legend has it that before Cangjie invented writing, imperial officials had to rely on a method of knotted ropes to keep track of records, laws and finances. As the court historian, Cangjie was asked by the Yellow Emperor to develop a more efficient system of handling the vast administrative burden of the empire. To achieve a breakthrough, however, Cangjie needed a little nudge from a magical helper. One day, as he sat by a river thinking about the problem, a phoenix flew overhead. When the phoenix dropped a hoof print onto the soft riverbank at Cangjie’s feet, he was struck by inspiration. Just as every living creature leaves behind a distinct footprint, Cangjie realised he could assign a distinct, written mark to identify everything in the world. That was the mythical beginning of the Chinese written language. A delicate engraving of a phoenix decorates the solid Au 750 white gold curved nib as a tribute to the legendary bird that opened the door in Cangjie’s mind to the art of writing. The tip of the nib is inclined at a 45° angle, which not only makes for an exceptional writing experience but also enables the writer to achieve lines of varying thickness – from fine vertical lines to bold horizontal strokes. When Cangjie created the foundations of Chinese calligraphy, one thing that helped him was his special power of observation. Endowed at birth with two pairs of eyes, Cangjie was well equipped to notice the details that made one animal different from another, for example. He translated what he saw into written characters representing every element of the world around him. The jade inlays on the clip evoke the legendary four eyes that enabled Cangjie to initiate the riches of Chinese written culture. The stone used for the inlays – green jade – has played an integral role in Chinese culture, rituals and art for thousands of years. Sometimes referred to as the ‘stone of heaven’, it was believed to have magical properties and was symbolically associated with the five virtues of wisdom, justice, compassion, modesty and courage. The status of green jade as the preferred stone of the royal court made its colour highly desirable in other crafts as well. In honour of this, the cap top bears the Montblanc emblem in green jade, embedded in solid lime gold.