Ritual wine warmer (fangjia) with masks (taotie), dragons, birds, and cicadas

Object Details

• Description

  Ceremonial vessel with cover: type jia. Surface: smooth green patina. Decoration: in high relief, low relief, and incised.

• Inscriptions

  Inscribed on interior, Xiang Gu 鄉賈 (“Conductor of Trade”)

• Label

  Taotie appear on the body, posts, and lid of this fangjia. Cicadas decorate the neck, and pairs of dragons form the legs.

• Provenance

  From at least 1935

  C. T. Loo & Company, New York from at least January 5, 1935 [1]

  From 1935

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from C. T. Loo & Company, New York on March 13, 1935 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] See Approval Memo with annotation: "Brought in by C. T. Loo's nephew," dated January 5, 1935, in object file. The object is described as discovered at Zhangde Fu in Henan province.

  [2] See C. T. Loo's invoice dated March 13, 1935, copy in object file.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Anyang: China's Ancient City of Kings (February 25, 2023 to April 28, 2024)

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

  Clay and Metal: Ancient Chinese Ceramics and Metal (February 25, 1997 to August 9, 2011)

  Chinese Art (February 18, 1983 to April 1, 1987)

  Chinese Art (June 15, 1982 to September 24, 1982)

  Chinese Art (March 15, 1982 to June 15, 1982)

  Chinese Art (March 9, 1981 to March 12, 1982)

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

  Chinese Bronze, Jade, Marble (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, 1955 (October 24, 1955 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 Metalwork, 1943 (March 22, 1943 to December 13, 1944)

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

• Previous custodian or owner

  C.T. Loo & Company (1914-1948)

• Origin

  Anyang, probably Henan province, China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 1000s

• Name

  C.T. Loo & Company

• Place

  China, Henan province, Anyang

• Topic

  Bronze, Wine and wine making, Art, Sculpture, Chinese Art, Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty (ca. 1300 - 1050 BCE), Taotie, Masks, Dragon, Metal-work

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)