Vase with design of dragons chasing flaming jewel

Object Details

• Description

  Cylindrical vase.

  Clay: hard, dense, gray.

  Glaze: clear glaze, slightly yellowish over white slip on exterior. Glaze alone on interior.

  Decoration: incised through slip into body. Accented with pale, blue-gray cobalt. Pair of dragons, flaming jewel, auspicious clouds.

• Previous custodian or owner

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

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Provenance

  ?-1899

  Yamanaka & Company, New York, method of acquisition unknown [1]

  1899-1919

  Charles Lang Freer, purchased from Yamanaka & Company [2]

  From 1920

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

  Notes:

  [1] See invoice from Yamanaka & Co., New York to Mr. Chars. L. Freer, March 6, 1899. The work is identified as "B 6083: 1 Satsuma Vase, gray & pale blue dragon & clouds." Copy in object file.

  [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.

  Research completed November 18, 2022.

• Origin

  Tsuboya kilns, Naha, Okinawa prefecture, Japan

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Vessel

• On View

  Freer Gallery 12: The Peacock Room Comes to America

• Restrictions and Rights

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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, 1650s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1850s, 1680s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Yamanaka and Co.

• Place

  Japan, Naha, Tsuboya kilns, Okinawa prefecture

• Topic

  Art, White slip, Stoneware, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Tsuboya ware, Dragon

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)

• On View

  Yes