Figure of Tanzi 郯子

Object Details

• Provenance

  From at least 1957 to 1968

  Desmond Gure (1905-1970), London, from at least August 1954 [1]

  From 1968 to 1987

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987), New York, purchased from Desmond Gure on January 10, 1968 [2]

  From 1987

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, gift of Arthur M. Sackler on September 11, 1987 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] Gure lent the object to the exhibition The Art of the Ming Dynasty, organized by Oriental Ceramic Society in London in 1957, see S. Howard Hansford, “The Arts of the Ming Dynasty: Carvings in Jade, Ivory, Rhinoceros Horn and Bamboo,” Transactions of the Oriental Ceramic Society 1955-56 1956-57 (London, 1958), p. 55, no. 356, pl. 95.

  See also an undated typed inventory of Desmond Gure’s collection, “List 1 – Objects Not Exhibited at Stockholm 1963,” no. 32: “A pale green jade figure of Yen T’zu with russet markings, one of the examples of filial piety, holding a milk bucket and clothed in the deerskin which he wore in order to mingle with the herd and obtain goats-milk as a cure for his parents’ eye disease – 4 in. high – Ming Dynasty – Fitted Box,” copy in object file.

  [2] According to information provided by Arthur M. Sackler Foundation in October 2009, Arthur M. Sackler purchased the jade as part of Desmond Gure’s jade collection on January 10, 1968.

  See “Arthur M. Sackler Gift: Chinese Jades: Summary,” where the object is listed under Sackler Collection no. J-1375 and identified as S1987.759.

  [3] Pursuant to the agreement between Dr. Arthur M. Sackler and the Smithsonian Institution, dated July 28, 1982, legal title of the donated objects was transferred to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery on September 11, 1987.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  The Arts of China (November 18, 1990 to September 7, 2014)

  Pavilions and Immortal Mountains: Chinese Decorative Art and Paintings (September 28, 1987 to February 28, 1988)

  The Art of the Ming Dynasty (November 15 to December 15, 1957)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Desmond Gure (1905-1970)

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Arthur M. Sackler

• Type

  Sculpture

• 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

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1300s, 1690s

• Name

  Sackler, Arthur M., Gure, Desmond

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Art, Chinese Art, Jade, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), Tanzi

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Sculpture