Fragment of underglaze cobalt-blue-painted wall tile

Detail of a pattern
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At A Glance

  • Period

    15th-16th century
  • Geography

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

    Stoneware with clear glaze
  • Dimension

    H x W x D: 4.3 x 8.3 x 8 cm (1 11/16 x 3 1/4 x 3 1/8 in)
  • Accession Number

    FSC-P-429a-b
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_FSC-P-429a-b

Object Details

  • Description

    Shape: Hollow wall-tile fragment, probably architectural.
    Clay: The body is a very fine clay, light gray in color, having many small air holes and very few inclusions. Hardness of the body approaches 7 on the Mohs Scale. A cross-section of the body where it has been cut with a diamond saw reveals a distinct layering in the clay body of the tile.
    Glaze: The feldspathic, bubbly, translucent glaze covers the sides and top of the tile. The white background has no crackle. The inside of the tile shows uneven coverage of the clear glaze.
    Decoration: The body is covered with a milky white slip onto which the cobalt-blue decoration has been painted and into which it has suffused. The underglaze cobalt-blue paint is of good quality. The design is Chinese in style and consists of a chrysanthemum scroll pattern. The leaves are solid strokes, not outlined. Petals are blue-tipped in the manner of 14th-Century Chinese wares with lotus flowers.
    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 object file, Collections Management Office.
    [2] See note 1.
    [3] See note 1.
  • 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

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