Head of a Buddhist guardian (deva-king)

Detail of a pattern
Image 1 of 1
IIIF

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At A Glance

  • Period

    7th-8th century
  • Geography

    Longmen Grottoes, Luoyang, Henan province, China
  • Material

    Limestone with traces of pigment
  • Dimension

    H x W x D (overall): 38.8 x 19.8 x 14.8 cm (15 1/4 x 7 13/16 x 5 13/16 in)
  • Accession Number

    F1914.20
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_F1914.20

Object Details

  • Description

    Chinese, Later than T'ang. Head of one of the four Guardians in high relief; part of left ear and topknot missing. Color: dark gray with yellow white patina and light earth encrustations. Wooden stand.
  • Provenance

    Probably from Longmen Grottos, Henan Province China [1]
    To 1914
    Abel William Bahr (1877-1959), London, to 1914 [2]
    From 1914 to 1919
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Abel William Bahr, London, in 1914 [3]
    From 1920
    The Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [4]
    Notes:
    [1] See Curatorial Remarks, Jan Stuart, March 10, 2003, in the object record. Also see Curatorial Remarks by Osvald Sirén, 1962, and Langdon Warner, 1916, in the object record.
    [2] See S.I. 492, Original Miscellaneous List, pg. 139. Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. Abel William Bahr (1877-1959) was a collector and dealer born in Shanghai, China. After he left Shanghai in 1910, he lived, at various points in time, in London, Montreal, and Ridgefield, Connecticut. He established a gallery in New York City in 1920.
    [3] See note 2.
    [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

    Ancient Chinese Paintings, Sculptures, and Jade Objects from the Collection formed by Charles Lang Freer (November 15 to December 08, 1917)
  • Previous custodian or owner

    Abel William Bahr (1877-1959) (C.L. Freer source)
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
  • Origin

    Longmen Grottoes, Luoyang, Henan province, China
  • Credit Line

    Gift of Charles Lang Freer
  • Type

    Sculpture
  • Restrictions and Rights

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