Tokoname ware storage jar

Object Details

• Description

  Dark gray clay, lustrous dark brown on surface. Large cross-shaped potter's mark incised on body. Natural deposits of ash glaze on shoulder, including large patch of opaque white rice-straw ash, partially flaked off.

• Label

  Unglazed stonewares began to be made in the Tokoname area in the 12th century, and they were shipped to markets throughout Japan. The most important early wares were vats in various sizes, but the kilns also made smaller jars. Unglazed stoneware continued to be a mainstay of the Tokoname kilns until recent decades, although glazed wares and unglazed red wares imitating Chinese I-hsing pottery were also produced.

• Provenance

  To 1899

  S. Eida, to 1899 [1]

  From 1899 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from S. Eida in 1899 [2]

  From 1920

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

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Pottery List, L. 156, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [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

  Japanese Ceramics from Past to Present (February 18, 1983 to February 16, 1984)

• Previous custodian or owner

  S. Eida (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Tokoname kilns, Aichi prefecture, Japan

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1600s, 1650s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1680s, 1850s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Eida, S.

• Place

  Aichi prefecture, Japan, Tokoname kilns

• Topic

  Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Stoneware, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Ceramics, Tokoname ware, Natural ash glaze

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)