Tomb vessel with lid ("hill jar")

Detail of a pattern
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At A Glance

  • Period

    early 1st-early 3rd century
  • Geography

    China
  • Material

    Earthenware with copper-green lead-silicate glaze
  • Dimension

    H x Diam: 26.7 × 23.4 cm (10 1/2 × 9 3/16 in)
  • Accession Number

    F1906.242a-b
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_F1906.242a-b

Object Details

  • Description

    " Hill-jar": cylindrical, tripod. Spur on base. Cover. Glazed pottery.
    Clay: soft, fine, red.
    Glaze: gvreen, with silver iridescence; largely disintegrated; crackled with age.
    Decoration: a band of animals and mounted hunters; two rudimentary head a nd ring handles, molded in relief. Seated bear feet. Cover molded in rounded mountain forms; animals in relief.
  • Provenance

    To 1906
    Yamanaka & Company, to 1906 [1]
    From 1906 to 1919
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Yamanaka & Company in 1906 [2]
    From 1920
    Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]
    Notes:
    [1] See Original Pottery List, L. 1469, 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

    Untitled Exhibition, Chinese and Korean Ceramics (March 22, 1943 to November 13, 1944)
    Chinese Panels and Han Pottery (February 25, 1925 to July 19, 1943)
    Japanese and Korean Pottery, and Korean Bronze (May 2, 1923 to March 22, 1943)
  • Previous custodian or owner

    Yamanaka and Co. 山中商会 (1917-1965) (C.L. Freer source)
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
  • Origin

    China
  • Credit Line

    Gift of Charles Lang Freer
  • Type

    Vessel
  • Restrictions and Rights

    CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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