Collection Online as of February 1, 2023

Ink Cake

1736–95

Part of a set. See all set records

China, Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Qianlong reign

(1736-95)

Ink cake

Overall: 3.9 x 3.9 cm (1 9/16 x 1 9/16 in.)

Gift of Henry W. Kent 1942.215.10

Location

not on view

Fun Fact

The design is Jingci Temple, a Buddhist temple beside West Lake in Hangzhou, China.

Inscriptions

Inscription

御製南屏晚鍾庚子。幾暇搜冥對硯屏，霜鐘送響一聲聲，鬢霜已改十年貌，醒耳清音卒未更。

Inscription Remark

"The evening bell ringing at Nanping." Made for the Royal family, dated gengzi year, 1780. This poem expresses the author's perspective on time. Ten years later, people's hair has turned white, and their appearance has also changed. Only the evening bell on the Nanping Hill echoed day by day. The picture carved on the other side of the inkcake is the temple, Jingci Si 净慈寺, at Nanping Hill in Hangzhou.

Inscription

乾隆年製

Inscription Translation

Qianlong nian zhi (Made in the reign of Qianlong)

Provenance

?-1942

Henry W. Kent, Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art

1942-

The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Citations

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), pp. 3-5, 11. Mentioned: pp. 3-5, 11 www.jstor.org

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).