Dimensions: 34.5 × 22 × 13 cm
Artist: Li Keng (China, b. 1945)

Born in Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province, Li Keng is a renowned Asia–Pacific Handcraft Master, Master of Chinese Arts and Crafts, and senior arts-and-crafts specialist. He serves as Honorary Director of the Duanxi Famous Inkstone Factory in Zhaoqing and Chair of the Duan Inkstone Committee of the China Arts and Crafts Association. He has been a juror for the national Master of Chinese Arts and Crafts awards (3rd–5th sessions) and was a deputy to the 6th National People’s Congress.

Li has been recognized as a National Model Worker, recipient of the National May 1st Labor Medal, and a State Council special allowance expert. His inkstone carvings have won numerous national awards and are held in prestigious collections, including the Palace Museum, the Great Hall of the People, and Zhongnanhai’s Ziguang Pavilion. Many of his works have been presented as national gifts, such as Hundred Birds Welcome Spring, Prime Minister Zhou’s Poems, and Ancient and Modern Carvings of Qixing Rock, among others.

His award-winning inkstone carvings are held in major collections worldwide, including the Palace Museum, the Great Hall of the People, and Ziguang Pavilion, and have frequently been presented as national gifts. Red Cotton in Bloom reflects Li’s mastery of Duan inkstone carving, combining refined technique with a vibrant celebration of Guangdong’s provincial flower.