Tray

Object Details

• Description

  The landscape scene on the try features a celsetial orb pictured at the center of parting clouds that are positioned in the top middle of the design. Below, a tall gnarled tree of indeterminable species (with six-pointed foliage) twists and turns, spreading across the picture plane. At the base of the tree several large Taihu rocks appear (these bear the most damage with later pieces of brightly-colored shell repair).

  Slender bamboo sprays project from behind the rocks and a waterfall spills over the rocks, flowing into the stream bed in several rounded arcs suggestive of a fast current. A pair of mandarin ducks have been incised into the shell inlay used to depict the rocks. A large animal (head now gone) also appears in front of the tree; this recumbent beast has been described as a deer, but this can only be conjecture. The animal does not have hooves or a typical deer tail. The landscape is completed with a row of sketchily conceived pine trees that appear on the distant shore.

  The borders of the tray are filled with a typical "brocade pattern" at the corners and the sides bear ogival cartouches that contain peony scrolls. The underside of the tray has a schematic floral design that consists of sketchy flowers with a "star burst" arrangement of eight petals. This design does not seem to appear before the Ming dynasty.

• Provenance

  ?-to 1972

  Sammy Yu Kuan Lee, President of Oriental House, Ltd., Tokyo, and Sammy Y. Lee & Wangs Company, Ltd., Hong Kong [1]

  1972-1987

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987), New York, NY, purchased from Sammy Yu Kuan Lee, President of Oriental House, Ltd., Tokyo, and Sammy Y. Lee & Wangs Company, Ltd., Hong Kong [2]

  Unidentified owner, method of transfer unknown [3]

  1994-1996

  Estate of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, New York, NY [4]

  1996-1997

  Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, New York, NY, transferred from the Estate of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler [5]

  From 1997

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation

  Notes:

  [1] See paper file from the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, copy in object file.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] The object was on loan to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery between 1987 and 1997.

  [4] See note 1. See curatorial remark 1.

  [5] See note 1.

• 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)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Sammy Y. Lee & Wangs Company, Ltd.

  Oriental House LTD

  Sammy Yu Kuan Lee 李汝寬

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)

  The Arthur M. Sackler Collections Trust

  Arthur M. Sackler Foundation (founded 1965)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation

• Type

  Container

• 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.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1590s, 1500s

• Name

  Lee, Sammy Yu Kuan, Sackler, Arthur M., Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, Oriental House LTD, Sammy Y. Lee & Wangs Company, Ltd., The Arthur M. Sackler Collections Trust

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Rabbits, Art, Chinese Art, Rivers, Ducks, Pine tree, Landscapes, Peony, Animals, Insects, Waterfalls, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), Bamboo

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Containers