Lidded ritual food server (dou) with dragon interlace

Object Details

• Description

  Ceremonial covered vessel, type tou. Crusty green patina with design inlaid in gold, and two annular handles on opposite sides.

• Provenance

  From at least 1939

  C. T. Loo & Company, New York from at least January 1939 [1]

  From 1939

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from C. T. Loo & Company on July 6, 1939 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] The vessel was exhibited by Loo in January 1939, see C. T. Loo & Co., An Exhibition of Chinese Bronzes, exh. cat. (New York: C. T. Loo & Co., January 1939), cat. 32, pl. XVIII.

  See also Loo's stockcard no. 81579: "Food vessel and cover (tou). Highly conventionalized dragon motives in gold encircle the entire body with a leaf like decoration around the lip. Loop handles. The cover removes to form a bowl. Green patina. Late Chou Period. Height 6 in," C. T. Loo & Frank Caro Archive, Musée Guimet, Paris, copy in object file.

  [2] See C. T. Loo's invoice, dated July 6, 1939, copy in object file.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Art and Industry: China’s Houma Foundry (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

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

  Chinese Metalwork (May 9, 1993 to March 21, 1997)

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

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

  Chinese Art of the Warring States Period: Change and Community, 480-222 B.C. (September 30, 1982 to February 17, 1983)

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

  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, Chinese Art, 1955 (August 26, 1955 to October 25, 1955)

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

  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)

  Stone Sculpture, Buddhist Bronze, and Chinese Painting (May 2, 1923 to February 25, 1956)

• Previous custodian or owner

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

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• On View

  Freer Gallery 18: Art and Industry: China's Ancient Houma Foundry

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 0s

• Name

  C.T. Loo & Company

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Art, Eastern Zhou dynasty (770 - 221 BCE), Chinese Art, Dragon, Food

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)

• On View

  Yes