A Pair of Soapstone Seals Late Qing Dynasty/ Republic Period

The seal faces on the present pair of seals were carved by Qi Baishi for Asano Soichiro (1848-1930), an influential Japanese businessman who made his fortune through cement production, later becoming a leading figure in the industrial development during the Meiji era. Known as "the cement king of the Meiji period", he later diversified the business, eventually building the Tokyo-Yokohama Industrial area and railroads.