Fragment of underglaze iron-black-painted wall tile

Detail of a pattern
Image 1 of 1
Download Image IIIF

Terms of Use

Usage Conditions Apply

At A Glance

  • Period

    15th-16th century
  • Geography

    Red River Delta kilns, Hai Duong province, Vietnam
  • Material

    Stoneware with iron pigment under clear glaze
  • Dimension

    H x W x D: 4.4 x 9.9 x 7.4 cm (1 3/4 x 3 7/8 x 2 15/16 in)
  • Accession Number

    FSC-P-425
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_FSC-P-425

Object Details

  • Description

    Shape: Shard consists of a corner fragment of a thick, mold-formed wall tile. The tile walls are straight, approximately 4.2 cm thick from the face of the tile to the back of the wall. The interior of the tile is hollow and of uneven thickness. The thickness of the tile from face to the hollow back is roughly 2.0 - 2.3 cm. Imprints of what appear to be finger marks on the inside of the hollowed-out back of the shard suggest that it was made by forming in a mold.
    Clay: The body is composed of a fine-grained, light-gray clay having few inclusions or air pockets.
    Glaze: The tile is covered with a light, milky white glaze over iron-black underglaze decoration. The iron-black underglaze painting is violet-brown where it has burned through the glaze.
    Decoration: The underglaze iron-black decorative motif consists of straight bands enclosing a simple scroll surrounding an inner panel having vegetal designs.
    Marks: None.
  • Provenance

    To 1957
    Abu Ridho, Jakarta, Indonesia. [1]
    1957
    John A. Pope (1906-1982), Washington DC, gift of Abu Ridho, Jakarta, Indonesia. [2]
    From 1957
    Freer Gallery of Art, gift of John A. Pope, Washington DC [3]
    Notes:
    [1] See Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record.
    [2] See note 1.
    [3] See note 1. See also object file, Collections Management Office.
  • Collection

    Freer Study Collection
  • Previous custodian or owner

    Abu Ridho (born 1927)
    Dr. John Alexander Pope (1906-1982)
  • Origin

    Red River Delta kilns, Hai Duong province, Vietnam
  • Credit Line

    Gift of John A. Pope
  • Type

    Architectural Element
  • 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.

    The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring