Fish-basket Guanyin

Object Details

• Description

  Guanyin holds a bamboo branch in one hand and in the other a basket containing a carp resting on a bed of bamboo branches. Beside the Guanyin are two boys, one with a lotus in a vase and the other with a bucket decorated with a lotus motif. All three figures are surrounded by rocks and clouds. No labels, seals or inscriptions.

• Provenance

  Temple of Koya-san, Jizo [1]

  To 1904

  Yamanaka & Company, to 1904 [2]

  From 1904 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Yamanaka & Company in 1904 [3]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [4]

  Notes:

  [1] According to Curatorial Remark 3, an undated folder sheet note, in the object record, which states, "'From Jizo --- in temple of Koya-san.' See List."

  [2] Original folder sheet note. Also see Original Kakemono and Makimono List, L. 355, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. The majority of Charles Lang Freer’s purchases from Yamanaka & Company were made at its New York branch. Yamanaka & Company maintained branch offices, at various times, in Boston, Chicago, London, Peking, Shanghai, Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto. During the summer, the company also maintained seasonal locations in Newport, Bar Harbor, and Atlantic City.

  [3] See note 2.

  [4] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Enlightened Beings: Buddhism in Chinese Paintings (September 1, 2012 to February 24, 2013)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Scrolls (July 19, 1943 to April 30, 1946)

  Stone Sculpture, Buddhist Bronze, and Chinese Painting (May 2, 1923 to February 25, 1956)

  Ancient Chinese Paintings, Sculptures, and Jade Objects from the Collection formed by Charles Lang Freer (November 15 to December 08, 1917)

  A Selection of Art Objects from the Freer Collection Exhibited in the New Building of the National Museum (April 15 to June 15, 1912)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Jizo-in, sub-temple of Koya-san

  Yamanaka and Co. 山中商会 (1917-1965) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1600s, 1900s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Jizo-in, sub-temple of Koya-san, Yamanaka and Co.

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Carp, Chinese Art, Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), Lotus, Bodhisattva, Guanyin

• Culture

  Buddhists, Chinese

• Object Type

  Paintings