Jun ware bowl with imperial inscription dated 1776

Object Details

• Description

  Bowl, deep ovoidal, on low foot.

  Clay: hard, dense, light-gray.

  Glaze: thick, brilliant misty-blue; three purple splashes inside.

  Decoration: inscription incised in the glaze inside of bowl.

  Inscription by the Qianlong emperor dated 1776 carved on interior of bowl.

• Inscriptions

  inscription incised in the glaze inside of bowl. Inscription by Ch'ien-lung dated 1776 carved on interior of bowl.

• Label

  Thirteenth-century Jun wares are distinguished by an opalescent blue glaze, which is often shot through with splashes of purple that result from copper in the glaze. When the Qianlong emperor (reigned 1736-95) was presented with this bowl, he ordered his appraisal of it as a "second-rate piece later than the Song dynasty [960-1279]" to be cut into the glaze. The importance of the bowl, the inscription explains, is that it was found by soldiers in China's northern frontier in Xinjiang Province, a territory that Qianlong had conquered for China in 1759. He justified his military exploits in the inscription: "Soldiers' encampments can safeguard the frontier peoples so that dwellers in small villages can endeavor to live happily for a hundred generations."

• Provenance

  To 1902

  T.J. Larkin, London, to 1902 [1]

  From 1902 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from T.J. Larkin in 1902 [2]

  From 1920

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

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Pottery List, L. 1160, 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

  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)

  Palaces and Pavilions: Grand Architecture in Chinese Painting (September 29, 2002 to March 30, 2003)

  Beyond Paper: Chinese Calligraphy on Objects (August 18, 1994 to July 3, 1997)

  Chinese Ceramics (March 15, 1982 to July 10, 1986)

  Chinese Art (March 9, 1981 to March 12, 1982)

  Chinese Ceramics (May 9, 1980 to March 6, 1981)

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

  Bicentennial Exhibition: Chinese Art (December 5, 1975 to November 10, 1976)

  Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Thomas Joseph Larkin (1848-1915) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Henan 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

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1200s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Larkin, Thomas Joseph

• Place

  China, Henan province

• Topic

  Jin dynasty (1115 - 1234), Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Jun ware, Stoneware, Chinese Art, Ceramics

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)

• On View

  Yes