Cizhou ware whistle in the form of a demon head

Detail of a pattern
Image 1 of 2
Download Image IIIF

Terms of Use

Usage Conditions Apply

At A Glance

  • Period

    16th century
  • Geography

    China
  • Material

    Stoneware with white slip and two shades of iron pigment under clear glaze
  • Dimension

    H x W: 5.6 x 5.2 cm (2 3/16 x 2 1/16 in)
  • Accession Number

    F1915.312
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_F1915.312

Object Details

  • Description

    Demon head, modelled hollow with two eye perforations.
    Clay: hard, buff.
    Glaze: cream-white.
    Decoration: details added in black and red, over glaze.
    Contains stickers on the bottom.
  • Marks

    Contains dealer stickers on the bottom.
  • Provenance

    To 1915
    Abel William Bahr (1877-1959), New York, NY, to 1915 [1]
    From 1915 to 1919
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Abel William Bahr, New York, in 1915 [2]
    From 1920
    The Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]
    Notes:
    [1] See Original Pottery List, L. 2441, 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.
    [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
  • Previous custodian or owner

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

    China
  • Credit Line

    Gift of Charles Lang Freer
  • Type

    Musical Instrument
  • 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