Minneapolis Institute of Art

Imperial inkstone

Kangxi Workshops

Date

1662–1722

Medium

Songhua stone

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Songhua stone from Jilin, with its typical green tone, was reserved almost exclusively for imperial use during the Kangxi (1662–1722), Yongzheng (1722–35), and Qianlong (1736–95) periods. The reverse of this horizontally striated inkstone has a brief engraved couplet written in the hand of the Kangxi emperor. It reads: “Used in tranquility, this inkstone will last many lifetimes.” It is followed by two rectangular imperial seals. The front is carved in relief with a design of a leafy peach floating upon waves. (The peach itself is the inkwell.) The two most noteworthy inkstone carvers in the Kangxi imperial workshops were Jin Dianyang and Gu Gongwang, one of whom likely carved this stone. China, Asia

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