Cinnabar ink piece, Qing dynasty, Qianlong

A cinnabar ink piece with polychrome decoration in relief. On the obverse is a finely depicted landscape with a scholar seated in his study. It is a large building surrounded by a lake and mountains. The shape of the piece is octagonal and flat with a protruding rim. It has carved inscriptions in relief on the obverse, reverse and sides. On the sides are inscribed: "蘊真齋藏墨" (Yùn zhēn zhāi cáng mò) and "乾隆年" (Qiánlóng nián). And on the reverse is a cartouche with characters, surrounded by archaic foliate dragons.

Provenance: Important collection of Tommy Lam, Hong Kong, from 1980.

Size: 10.5 x 11 cm; Weight: 453 g