Nicolas Chow, the chairman of Sotheby's Art, holds an 18th-century enamel falangcai bowl. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Kangxi is known for his passion for art which was inherited by his son, emperor Yongzheng and grandson, Emperor Qianlong.

Among Emperor Qianlong’s favored artists, there was Qian Weicheng, who also served as a high-ranking official during Qianlong’ reign.

An album of 10 mountain-and-water ink paintings by Qian was sold for HK$147 million. It portrays different landscapes of the Mount Tiantai, in Zhejiang province. It was gifted to Qianlong, who felt so moved he inscribed one of his own poems on each painting.

The album was transported out of the Forbidden City in the early 20th century by Qing's last emperor Puyi, and then sent to a European collector.