Box with three sculpted lotus flowers inside

Object Details

• Description

  Box of six-lobed shape with cover: inside are three nutshell-like cups between curling stems; inscription; slight break in rim.

  Body: high-fired white porcelain with fine black specks and two brownish burned areas; rims and base unglazed.

  Glaze: pale, transparent, greenish-blue.

  Decoration: form only.

• Provenance

  Peter Johannes Bahr (died circa 1928), Shanghai, purchased in China [1]

  To 1916

  Abel William Bahr (1877-1959), New York, NY, acquired from his brother, Peter Johannes Bahr, to 1916 [2]

  From 1916 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Abel William Bahr, New York, in 1916 [3]

  From 1920

  The Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [4]

  Notes:

  [1] According to F1916.198a-b, Curatorial Remark 3, Charles Lang Freer, in the object record, F1916.197 and F1916.243 were bought from A. W. Bahr in February 1916, and were said by him to have been purchased by his brother Peter in China.

  [2] See Original Pottery List, L. 2474, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [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

  Chinese Ceramics (March 15, 1982 to July 10, 1986)

  Chinese Ceramics (April 11, 1978 to September 4, 1980)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Peter Johannes Bahr (1882-1929)

  Abel William Bahr (1877-1959) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Container

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1100s, 1200s

• Name

  Bahr, Peter Johannes, Freer, Charles Lang, Bahr, Abel William

• Place

  China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen

• Topic

  Charles Lang Freer collection, Porcelain, Art, Qingbai ware, Chinese Art, Southern Song dynasty (1127 - 1279), Ceramics, Northern Song dynasty (960 - 1127)

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Containers