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.

• Previous custodian or owner

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

• 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.

• 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

  Usage Conditions Apply

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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