Vase in rouleau form

Object Details

• Description

  Vase, Rouleau style.

  Rim: herringbone pattern.

  Neck: raised ridge at midpoint of neck; band of "comb" pattern above ridge, band of whorl pattern below ridge.

  Shoulder: four four-lobed cartouches enclosing five-petaled blossoms, on ground of geometric lattice.

  Body: one narrative scene filling the entire body. Below a band of clouds, on the banks of a river, a king (shaded by a parasol held by an attendant) greets a man who has just crossed a bridge over the river, leaving his fishing rod and reel on the far bank. Other attendants hold a court robe and a document box, and the king's wheeled chair is partially hidden behind rocks and trees, from the other side of which emerges the bridge over the river.

  Foot: single line at angle of body and foot rim.

  Base: double ring.

• Provenance

  Around 1970

  Mother of Betty Menke, purchased at auction, Sotheby Parke-Bernet, around 1970 [1]

  To 1993

  Betty Menke, Scarsdale, NY, given by her mother, to 1993 [2]

  From 1993

  Freer Gallery of Art, given by Betty and John Menke,Scarsdale and Rye, NY, in 1993

  Notes:

  [1] According to information in the object record.

  [2] According to information in the object record.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  The Peacock Room in Blue and White (May 18, 2019 to June 1, 2022)

  The Peacock Room (May 2, 1923 to February 21, 2011)

• Previous custodian or owner

  John R. (1919-2009) and Betty Menke (1920-2012)

• Origin

  Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Betty and John Menke

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1720s, 1660s

• Name

  Menke, John and Betty R.

• Place

  China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen

• Topic

  Bridges, Cobalt pigment, Porcelain, Art, King, Chinese Art, Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), Ceramics, Jingdezhen ware, Rivers, Fishing

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)