Ritual wine container (hu) with masks

Object Details

• Description

  Ceremonial vessel of the type hu. A hole in the foot rim.

  Surface: brown and green patina, with earthy incrustation.

  Decoration: in low relief; animalisitc handles in full relief.

• Provenance

  To 1912

  Imperial Household collection of Prince Kung of China, Beijing, to 1912 [1]

  From 1912 to 1913

  Yamanaka & Company, purchased from Prince Kung estate, 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 & 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] According to Curatorial Remark 3, Charles Lang Freer, undated, in the object record: "The Yamanakas bought this piece directly from the late Prince Kung during 1912, brought it to New York and sold it to me through an auction held at the American Art Association galleries, on February 28, 1913. This piece, along with S.I. 517, was in former years in the collection of Prince Kung." 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. 389, 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

• Exhibition History

  Art and Industry: China’s Houma Foundry (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

  Clay and Metal: Ancient Chinese Ceramics and Metal (February 25, 1997 to August 9, 2011)

  Chinese Art (February 18, 1983 to April 1, 1987)

  Chinese Art (March 15, 1982 to June 15, 1982)

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

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

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Metalwork (March 14, 1931 to March 22, 1943)

  Chinese Jades and Bronze, East Corridor (November 19, 1923 to March 14, 1931)

• 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

• On View

  Freer Gallery 18: Art and Industry: China's Ancient Houma Foundry

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 0s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Wang, Kung Ching, Yamanaka and Co.

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Bronze, Western Zhou dynasty (ca. 1050 - 771 BCE), Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Sculpture, Chinese Art, Masks, Metal-work

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)

• On View

  Yes