Bottle

Object Details

• Description

  Vase of mei-p'ing form.

  Clay: medium grade grayish white porcelain.

  Glaze: transparent greenish blue; crackled and stained in spots. Decoration: scrolling vines strongly carved in the clay.

• Label

  This bottle with carved decor of floral vinescrolls accented by combing bears a translucent glaze tinted pale blue by a small percentage of iron. This glaze, called qingbai ("shadowy blue"), was used on porcelain vessels made in the vicinity of Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, as well as at many kilns in adjacent provinces in southeastern China. Many bottles of this shape were exported to Japan, where they were owned by Buddhist temples or warrior families. Charles Lang Freer acquired this bottle from a Japanese dealer.

• Provenance

  To 1897

  Yamanaka & Company, to 1897 [1]

  From 1897 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Yamanaka & Company in 1897 [2]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Pottery List, L. 91, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. The majority of Charles Lang Freer’s purchases from Yamanaka & Company were made at its New York branch. Yamanaka & Company maintained branch offices, at various times, in Boston, Chicago, London, Peking, Shanghai, Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto. During the summer, the company also maintained seasonal locations in Newport, Bar Harbor, and Atlantic City.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Chinese Ceramics (April 11, 1978 to September 4, 1980)

  Yuan Chiang School, Chinese Paintings (April 12, 1963 to October 15, 1963)

  Chinese Album Leaves (December 17, 1962 to April 8, 1963)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Yamanaka and Co. 山中商会 (1917-1965) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Southeastern China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1200s, 1300s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Yamanaka and Co.

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Charles Lang Freer collection, Porcelain, Art, Qingbai ware, Chinese Art, Yuan dynasty (1279 - 1368), Ceramics

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)