The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of November 28, 2023

Imperially Commissioned Set of Ink Sticks with Images and Poems of Famous West Lake Sites

御製西湖名勝圖詩硃錠

1780–94

Part of a set. See all set records

China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong reign

(1736–95)

Molded ink in yellow, blue, black, green, red, brown, white, and gold

Average: 3.9 x 8.3 cm (1 9/16 x 3 1/4 in.)

Gift of Henry W. Kent 1942.215

Location

003 Special Exhibition Hall

Fun Fact

The inscription in mother-of-pearl inlay on the box’s cover says: <em>Imperially Made Gold Inscribed Poems of Images of [the Ten] Sights of the Westlake</em>.

Description

Each ink stick depicts one of the Ten Scenes of the West Lake on one side, and a corresponding imperial poem on the other, composed on emperor Qianlong’s fifth southern inspection tour in 1780. Notably, the ink sticks’ colors and shapes correspond with the poems’ respective content.

An inscription on one ink stick identifies this set as a gift to the emperor by Jiang Lan, an official from Anhui, a province known for its excellence in ink, paper making, and printing. Imperial records note that 10 more sets of West Lake inks were presented as a tribute by Gioroi Giking (Chinese: Jueluo Jiqing, 1753–1802), a Zhejiang provincial governor and a bannerman (Manchu native).

Inscriptions

Inscription

乾隆年製

Inscription Translation

Qianlong nian zhi (Made in the reign of Qianlong)

Inscription Remark

Inscription on the side of each ink cake.

Inscription

The inscription in mother of pearl inlay on the box’s cover says: Imperially Made Gold Inscribed Poems of Images of [the Ten] Sights of the Westlake.

Provenance
?–1942
Henry W. Kent [1866–1948], Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
1942–
The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
Citations
Hollis, Howard. "A Gift of Chinese Inks." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art Vol. 33, No. 1 (Jan., 1946), pp. 3-5, 11. Mentioned: pp. 3-5, 11 www.jstor.org
Wang Chi-chien. "Notes on Chinese Ink." Metropolitan Museum Studies, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Dec., 1930). Reproduced: pp. 114-133, fig. 14 www.jstor.org
Wang Chi-chien. "Notes on Chinese Ink." Metropolitan Museum Studies, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Dec., 1930), pp. 114-133 Reproduced: pp. 114-133, fig. 14 www.jstor.org
Hollis, Howard. "A Gift of Chinese Inks." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art Vol. 33, No. 1 (Jan., 1946). Mentioned: pp. 3-5, 11 www.jstor.org
Von Spee, Clarissa. “The Power of Writing: A new display in the Chinese galleries focuses on inscriptions.” Cleveland Art: Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine vol. 58, no. 5 (September/October 2018): 12-13. Reproduced and Mentioned: P. 13.
Exhibition history

History of The Chinese Book. The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (organizer) (April 1-May 15, 1967).

Power and Possession: Chinese Calligraphy and Inscribed Objects – Chinese Gallery Rotation 240a, 241c. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (August 13, 2018-February 3, 2019).

China's Southern Paradise: Treasures from the Lower Yangzi Delta. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 10, 2023-January 7, 2024).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1942.215