Ritual serving vessel with lid (fu) and dragons

Detail of a pattern
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At A Glance

  • Period

    6th century BCE
  • Geography

    China
  • Material

    Bronze
  • Dimension

    H x W x D: 16.5 x 27.2 x 20.5 cm (6 1/2 x 10 11/16 x 8 1/16 in)
  • Accession Number

    F1913.14a-b
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_F1913.14a-b

Object Details

  • Description

    Hsin-cheng type
    Ceremonial vessel, type "fu"
    Cover. Wood stand.
    Surface: a lustrous black or brown patina, almost completely covered with an aerugo of variable color, and grayish incrustations.
    Decoration: engraved.
  • Provenance

    Imperial Household collection of Prince Kung of China, Beijing [1]
    To 1913
    Yamanaka & Company, to 1913 [2]
    From 1913 to 1919
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased at the sale of the Prince Kung Collection (by order of Yamanaka and Company), American Art Association, New York February 27-28 and March 1, 1913 [3]
    From 1920
    Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [4]
    Notes:
    [1] The Imperial Household collection of Prince Kung was under the authority of Prince Kung Ching Wang (Yixin) (1833-1898), and, later, Prince Puwei (Prince Gongxian) (1880-1936), before Yamanaka and Company acquired it. See Illustrated Catalogue of the Remarkable Collection of the Imperial Prince Kung of China, A Wonderful Treasury of Celestial Art: recently acquired by the widely known firm of Yamanaka & Company (New York: American Art Association, 1913). See also, Original Bronze List, S.I. 390, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.
    [2] See note 1.
    [3] See note 1.
    [4] 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
  • Previous custodian or owner

    Prince Kung Ching Wang (1833-1898)
    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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