Pendant in the form of a fish

Object Details

• Description

  Fish pendant of mottled green jade with lighter veination. Straight in form, lenticular in section, with profile tapering toward snout, cut in for dorsal and ventral fins, and narrowing to splayed bifurcated tail. Diagonal striations indicate fins, while gills, eyes, and tail are indicated by incised outlines. Conical perforation indicates mouth.

• Provenance

  From 1923-25

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased by Carl Whiting Bishop’s assistant, Dong Guangzhong in China. [1]

  Notes:

  [1] See Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920 file, Collections Management Office. The object was transferred from the Freer Study Collection (Bishop Collection) to the permanent collection on August 8, 1974. Also see Curatorial Remark 3 in the object record.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  A Decade of Discovery: Selected Acquisitions 1970-1980 (November 9, 1979 to May 22, 1980)

• Origin

  Anyang, probably Henan province, China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Jewelry and Ornament

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 1000s

• Place

  China, Henan province, Anyang

• Topic

  Art, Carving, Chinese Art, Fishes, Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty (ca. 1300 - 1050 BCE), Nephrite, Jade, Carl Whiting Bishop collection

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Ornaments, Jewelry