Grain server (yu)

Object Details

• Description

  Gray pottery bowl in shape of yu. Bowl-shaped vessel, wheel-thrown, with high foot rim added.

  Clay: unglazed pottery clay; surface lightly burnished and gray. Accretions of earth.

  Decoration: Three pairs of horizontal lines on the body incised while the piece was still turning on the wheel, apparently with the use of a carved rib or die. Another horizontal line on the foot. Four small rectangular flanges, with incised horizontal lines, applied equidistantly around the vessel between the top and middle pairs of horizontal lines. The rest of the space between those two pairs of horizontal lines filled by closely spaced vertical lines, incised free hand.

• Provenance

  J.E. Melchior, Shanghai [1]

  To 1982

  Helen D. Ling (died 1982), Shanghai and Singapore, acquired from J.E. Melchior, to 1982 [2]

  From 1982 to 1984

  Dr. Tien Gi Ling, Singapore, bequeathed by Helen D. Ling in 1982 [3]

  From 1984

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Dr. Tien Gi Ling in 1984 [4]

  Notes:

  [1] According to information supplied by Dr. Ling, Helen Dalling Ling acquired this object from the J.E. Melchior collection. Helen Dalling Ling operated The Green Dragon antiques shop in Shanghai from 1938 to 1950, and a shop under her own name in Singapore from 1951 to 1982 (see Curatorial Note 5 in object record).

  [2] According to Curatorial Note 5 in object record.

  [3] Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920 file, Collections Management Office.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Anyang: China's Ancient City of Kings (February 25, 2023 to April 28, 2024)

  Parades: Freer Ceramics Installed by Gwyn Hanssen Pigott (November 4, 2006 to January 7, 2008)

  Chinese Ceramics (March 15, 1982 to July 10, 1986)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Jacob E. Melchior (1879-1945)

  Helen D. Ling (1901-1982)

  Mr. Tien Gi Ling

• Origin

  Anyang, probably Henan province, China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 1000s

• Name

  Melchior, J. E., Ling, Tien Gi, Ling, Helen D.

• Place

  China, Henan province, Anyang

• Topic

  Art, Chinese Art, Shang dynasty (ca. 1600 - ca. 1050 BCE), Ceramics

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)