Stem bowl

Object Details

• Description

  Very fine, light gray-white porcelain stembowl, with broad deep bowl and outflaring rim, set on a tall tubular stem. Finely incised dragons decorate the interior of the bowl and characters are incised in the center bottom. The porcelain is covered with a clear glaze.

• Marks

  Yongle period (1403-1424) mark in seal script.

  Yongle period (1403-1424) mark in seal script.

• Label

  The Yongle emperor, who ruled during the Ming dynasty, enjoyed monochrome white porcelain—a preference tied to his promotion of Tibetan Buddhism, which equates white with purity. This stem bowl, with its softly lustrous, sugary whiteness, was likely used at the Chinese court as a Buddhist altar vessel. Its walls are so thin that the glaze forms part of their substance. In strong, raking light, a reign mark incised in the well of the bowl and two gamboling dragons on the sidewalls become visible. Such “hidden decoration” was a technical challenge and imperial prerogative.

• Provenance

  Yongle Emperor (1360-1424) (reigned 1403-1424), China [1]

  Brenda Zara Seligman, London [2]

  Mr. Frederick M. Mayer, New York [3]

  Mr. Rafi Y. Mottahedeh (died 1978) and Mrs. Mildred R. Mottahedeh (1908-2000), NY [4]

  To 1998

  J. J. Lally & Co. Oriental Art, New York, to 1998

  From 1998

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from J. J. Lally & Co. Oriental Art in 1998

  Notes:

  [1] According to Curatorial Note 1, Jan Stuart, January 6, 1998, in the object record.

  [2] According to Curatorial Note 7 in the object record.

  [3] See note 2.

  [4] See note 2.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Looking Out, Looking In: Art in Late Imperial China (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

  Luxury and Luminosity: Visual Culture and the Ming Court (July 3, 2004 to June 26, 2005)

  Monochrome Porcelain of the Ming and Manchu Dynasties (October 27 to December 18, 1948)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Yongle Emperor (1360-1424 (reigned 1403-1424))

  Brenda Zara Seligman (1882-1965)

  Frederick M. Mayer

  Rafi Y. and Mildred R. Mottahedeh (1908-2000)

  J.J. Lally & Co. Oriental Art (active 1986-2021)

• Origin

  Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• On View

  Freer Gallery 13: Looking Out, Looking In: Art in Late Imperial China

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1400s

• Name

  Mayer, Frederick M., J.J. Lally & Co. Oriental Art, Yongle, Mottahedeh, Rafi Y. and Mildred R., Seligman, Brenda Zara

• Place

  China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen

• Topic

  Porcelain, Art, Yongle reign (1403 - 1424), Chinese Art, Ceramics, Jingdezhen ware, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), Hidden decoration

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)

• On View

  Yes