Two Doves on a Flowering Branch

Object Details

• Artist

  Formerly attributed to Bian Luan (active late 8th-early 9th century)

• Provenance

  Duanfang (1861-1911), China [1]

  To 1916

  Pang Yuanji (1864-1949), Shanghai, China, to 1916 [2]

  From 1916 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Pang Yuanji, through Pang Zanchen (1881-1951) and Seaouke Yue (You Xiaoxi) (late 19th-early 20th century), in New York, in 1916 [3]

  From 1920

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

  Notes:

  [1] According to Curatorial Remarks in the object record.

  [2] See Original Kakemono and Makimono List, L. 1112, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. See also, P'ang Catalogue: Antique Famous Chinese Paintings Collected by P'ang Lai Ch'en, no. 5. This object exhibits seals, colophons, or inscriptions that could provide additional information regarding the object’s history; see Curatorial Remarks in the object record for further details.

  [3] According to Ingrid Larsen, "'Don’t Send Ming or Later Pictures': Charles Lang Freer and the First Major Collection of Chinese Painting in an American Museum," Ars Orientalis vol. 40 (2011), pg. 23 and pg. 37, note 118.

  Larsen explains that Pang Zanchen (the younger brother of Pang Yuanji) and Seaouke Yue were tasked by Pang Yuanji with bringing his paintings to New York to show them to Charles Lang Freer. See also, Original Kakemono and Makimono List, L. 1112, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [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

  Winged Spirits: Birds in Chinese Painting (February 11 to August 5, 2012)

  Chinese Flower Paintings (March 18 to September 22, 1983)

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

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

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Ceramics (March 7, 1957 to January 1, 1963)

  Centennial Exhibition, Gallery 19 (February 25, 1956 to February 4, 1957)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Painting, Gallery 1, 1955 (April 11, 1955 to December 12, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Painting, Gallery 14, 1955 (November 17, 1955 to February 25, 1956)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Painting and Calligraphy, 1947 (January 7, 1947 to April 11, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Art, West Corridor, 1947 (January 8, 1947 to February 10, 1947)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Art, 1946 (May 6, 1946 to November 17, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Ceramics and Paintings (November 14, 1944 to May 3, 1946)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Painting, Gallery 14, 1943 (March 22, 1943 to October 4, 1943)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Painting and Ceramics, 1943 (March 22, 1943 to November 13, 1944)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Painting and Ceramics (March 14, 1931 to March 22, 1943)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Paintings, 1924 (June 2, 1924 to March 14, 1931)

  Chinese Panels and Scrolls (May 2, 1923 to June 2, 1924)

  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

  Duanfang 端方 (1861-1911)

  Pang Yuanji 龐元濟 (1864-1949) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1500s, 1300s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Pang, Yuanji, Duanfang

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Chinese Art, Dove, Flowers, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644)

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Paintings