Shiwan ware vase in lotus bud form (neck cut down)

Object Details

• Description

  Vase of globular form, the exterior moulded in lotus flower form, with petals in relief. Teakwood cover and stand.

  Clay: heavy gray stoneware.

  Glaze: milky gray, crackled, with areas of bluish and creamy tint; dark body color shows through on edges.

• Provenance

  To 1900

  Yamanaka & Company, to 1900 [1]

  From 1900 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Yamanaka & Company in 1900 [2]

  From 1920

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

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Pottery List, L. 56, 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

  The Peacock Room Comes to America [2022] (September 3, 2022 - ongoing)

  The Peacock Room Comes to America [2017-2019] (October 14, 2017 to January 2, 2019)

  The Peacock Room Comes to America [2011-2016] (April 9, 2011 to January 4, 2016)

  Chinese Painting and Pottery (May 2, 1923 to March 22, 1943)

  Early Chinese Pottery and Scultpure, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1916 (March 6 to October 15, 1916)

  Untitled Exhibition, The Japan Society, February 1914 (February 1914)

• Previous custodian or owner

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

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Shiwan (Shekwan) kilns, Foshan, Guangdong province, China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Vessel

• On View

  Freer Gallery 12: The Peacock Room Comes to America

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1500s, 1640s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Yamanaka and Co.

• Place

  China, Guangdong province, Shiwan, Foshan

• Topic

  Art, Stoneware, Chinese Art, Shiwan ware, Flowers, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), Lotus

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)

• On View

  Yes