Straight chisel (gui圭) with face and bird

Object Details

• Description

  Ceremonial implement of the type kuei [gui 圭]; short narrow form with beveled end and perforated handle; mottled dark olive brown, reddish brown, olive green, and orange; decoration: in sensible relief and channeled, a demon head on one side, a spread eagle on reverse, triple grooves across handle; dull luster.

• Provenance

  To 1915

  Huang Zhonghui (circa 1870- after 1923), to 1915 [1]

  From 1915 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Huang Zhonghui, in New York, in 1915 [2]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Miscellaneous List, S.I. 658, pg. 158, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. See also, Curatorial Remarks.

  [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

  Afterlife: Ancient Chinese Jades (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

  Ancient Chinese Jades and Bronzes (November 20, 2010 to January 3, 2016)

  Ancient Chinese Jades (May 9, 1993 to May 18, 1998)

  Studies in Connoisseurship 1923-1983 (September 23, 1983 to March 1, 1984)

  Ancient Chinese Jade (September 4, 1980 to March 6, 1981)

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

  Chinese Bronze, Jade, Metalwork (March 1, 1957 to January 1, 1963)

  Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 14 and 15 (February 25, 1956 to March 1, 1957)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Jade and Bronze (August 26, 1955 to October 25, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1946 (May 7, 1946 to February 25, 1956)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1945 (January 9, 1945 to August 20, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1944 (December 13, 1944 to May 7, 1946)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Art, 1944 (November 15, 1944 to May 6, 1946)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1943 (March 22, 1943 to November 17, 1944)

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

• Previous custodian or owner

  Huang Zhonghui 黃中慧 (ca. 1870-after 1923) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  China

• Culture

  Longshan culture, ca. 3000-ca. 1700 BCE

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Ceremonial Object

• On View

  Freer Gallery 19: Afterlife: Ancient Chinese Jades

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 3000s, BCE 1000s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Huang, Zhonghui

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Animals, Late Neolithic period (ca. 5000 - ca. 1700 BCE), Chinese Art, Nephrite, Birds, Jade

• Culture

  Longshan culture, Chinese

• Object Type

  Ceremonial objects

• On View

  Yes