Page 26 - Christies Asia Week 2015 Chinese Works of Art

PROPERTY FROM THE FAMILY OF K’UNG HSIANG-HSI
2015
A RECTANGULAR INSCRIBED DUAN INK STONE
18TH-19TH CENTURY

The rectangular ink stone is smoothly polished and carved on one side with a rectangular
grinding surface. The ink stone is inscribed by Wu Changshuo (1824-1927) with a long
inscription indicating this ink stone was acquired by Shiqian (Wu Yin, 1886-1922), and
could date to the Yuan or Ming dynasty. The ftted zitan box is inlaid in silver with a poetic
inscription in seal script discussing how to carefully store the ink stone, followed by a
signature, Yunxuan Laoren (Old man of the Cloud Pavilion).
8Ω in. (21.6 cm.) long, ftted zitan box inlaid in silver wire

$15,000-20,000

PROVENANCE:

The K’ung Hsiang-Hsi (Kong Xiangxi, 1881- 1967) Collection, New York, and thence by
descent within the family.

Wu Junqing (1844-1927), better known as Wu Changshuo, is one of the most prominent and
infuential artists of modern Chinese painting. Wu was a talented and accomplished artist who
integrated the traditional Chinese painting styles of early masters such as Xu Wei, Chen Daofu, Bada
Shanren and Shi Tao, with the art of poetry, calligraphy and seal engraving.

Shiqian was the style name of Wu Yin (1886-1922), one of the four founding members of Xiling
Yinshe, ‘Xiling Seal Art Society,’ one of China’s most important traditional seal-engraving associations.

清十八/十九世紀 吳昌碩銘長方端硯