A PARTIAL SET OF FIFTEEN 'PEONY' INK CAKES QING DYNASTY, SIGNED HU KAIWEN |

each rectangular ink cake with a gilt peony emerging from rocks, the reverse with gilt seal script inscription, the side with raised inscription, signed Hu Kaiwen, the top wu shi qing yan, three of the cakes titled Da Fu Gui Yi Shou Kao in green characters and inscribed Cangpeishi Zhuren zhi, wooden presentation box and cover (17)

A similar set of ink cakes by Hu Kaiwen was included in the exhibition Auspicious Emblems: Chinese Cultural Treasures – 45th Anniversary Exhibition of the Min Chiu Society, Hong Kong Museum of Art, 2005-2006, cat. no. 10. A closely related set of five ink cakes was sold in our Paris rooms 12th June 2008, lot 362. Hu Kaiwen, active during the Qianlong period, was a famous inkcake maker from Huizhou of Anhui province. Together with Cao Sugong, Wang Jinsheng, and Wang Jie'an, these artisans were praised as the 'Four Grand Scholar-Inkmakers' of 'Hui ink'.