Ornament (shi 飾) with face and masks

Object Details

• Description

  An ornament of reddish nephrite shading to gray green; somewhat translucent; one surface decorated with low relief mostly linear; four holes for attachment.

• Provenance

  Wu collection, Tianjin [1]

  From at least 1937 to 1939

  C. T. Loo & Company, Paris and New York from at least March 1937 [2]

  From 1939

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from C. T. Loo & Company on

  November 30, 1939 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] According to information in C. T. Loo's Approval memorandum, dated November 6, 1939, in object file.

  [2] See C. T. Loo's stockcard no. LAP 5655: "Brownish jade in the form of a thin pillar, head etched in center. Han," C. T. Loo & Frank Caro Archive, Musée Guimet, Paris, copy in object file. According to information on the stockcard, the object was shipped to Paris in March 1937 and returned to New York in November 1938; in September 1939 it was offered to Mr. McKim; on November 6, 1939 it was shipped to the Freer Gallery.

  [3] See C. T. Loo's invoice, dated November 30, 1939, copy in object file.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Afterlife: Ancient Chinese Jades (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

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

  Ancient Chinese Jades (May 9, 1993 to May 18, 1998)

  Ancient Chinese Jade (September 4, 1980 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 Art, 1955 (October 24, 1955 to February 25, 1956)

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

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1945 (January 9, 1945 to August 20, 1955)

  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)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Wu Collection

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

• Origin

  Hubei province, Middle Yangzi valley, China

• Culture

  Shijiahe culture, ca. 2500-ca. 2000 BCE

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Jewelry and Ornament

• On View

  Freer Gallery 19: Afterlife: Ancient Chinese Jades

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 2000s

• Name

  C.T. Loo & Company, Wu

• Place

  China, Hubei province, Middle Yangzi valley

• Topic

  Art, Late Neolithic period (ca. 5000 - ca. 1700 BCE), Carving, Chinese Art, Nephrite, Jade, Masks

• Culture

  Shijiahe culture, Chinese

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry

• On View

  Yes