Fragment of an 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 cobalt pigment under clear glaze
  • Dimension

    H x W x D: 2.9 x 8.3 x 7.2 cm (1 1/8 x 3 1/4 x 2 13/16 in)
  • Accession Number

    FSC-P-432
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_FSC-P-432

Object Details

  • Description

    Shape: Mold-formed, hollow wall-tile fragment, probably architectural.
    Clay: The body is a very fine clay, light buff in color, having many small air pockets. There are very few inclusions.
    Glaze: The body is covered with a clear crackled glaze over the cobalt-blue painted decoration. It is not clear whether there is a slip below the cobalt painting or whether the milky white color is imparted by the glaze itself. The bubbly, translucent glaze covers the sides and top of the tile.
    Decoration: The underglaze cobalt-blue-painted design consists of freely painted borders conforming to the physical shape of the piece. The cobalt-blue paint is of good quality.
    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. See also Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record.
    [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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