Tea bowl with traces of painted gold decoration on the interior

Detail of a pattern
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At A Glance

  • Period

    12th-13th century
  • Geography

    Yulinding kilns, Fujian province, China
  • Material

    Stoneware with iron glaze and gold pigment
  • Dimension

    H x W: 5.5 x 11 cm (2 3/16 x 4 5/16 in)
  • Accession Number

    F1956.24
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_F1956.24

Object Details

  • Description

    Clay: coarse buff stoneware.
    Glaze: thick, black with brown areas.
    Decoration: traces of former painting in gold inside; design includes four characters: Fu-hai-shou-shan.
  • Label

    Although now mostly worn away, the decoration in gold inside this tea bowl is of four flowers and parallel lines. The center of each flower contains a Chinese character; together the words are an abbreviation for the homily "May you live as long as South Mountain and may your blessings be as great as the Eastern Sea." This type of bowl formerly was thought to be Jizhou ware but is now identified with the Yulinding kilns in northern Fujian prodince.
  • Provenance

    To 1956
    Howard Hollis & Company, Cleveland, Ohio. [1]
    From 1956
    Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Howard Hollis & Company, Cleveland, Ohio. [2]
    Notes:
    [1] Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record.
    [2] See note 1.
  • Collection

    Freer Gallery of Art Collection
  • Exhibition History

    Beyond Paper: Chinese Calligraphy on Objects (August 18, 1994 to July 3, 1997)
    Luminous Shadows (April 1, 1982 to June 21, 1982)
  • Previous custodian or owner

    Howard Hollis and Company (established 1949)
  • Origin

    Yulinding kilns, Fujian province, China
  • Credit Line

    Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
  • Type

    Vessel
  • Restrictions and Rights

    Usage Conditions Apply

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