Bowl

Bowl with straight flaring sides; flat base. Unglazed with 16 round spurmarks at edge; 17 similar spurmarks in glaze inside. Remains of spurs adhering to several scars.
Clay: hard gray ware fired reddish brown.
Glaze: thin olive green with light brown crackle and stained areas; only one-third of the way down outside.

Historical period(s)
Tang dynasty, late 9th-early 10th century
Medium
Stoneware with green glaze
Style
Yue type ware
Dimensions
H x Diam: 6.2 × 18.2 cm (2 7/16 × 7 3/16 in)
Geography
China, Possibly Zhejiang province
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1917.213
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Bowl

Keywords
China, green glaze, stoneware, Tang dynasty (618 - 907), Yue ware
Provenance

To 1917
John Fenning, New York, to 1917 [1]

From 1917 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from John Fenning in 1917 [2]

From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

Notes:

[1] See Original Pottery List, L. 2519, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

[2] See note 1.

[3] 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.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

John Fenning (C.L. Freer source)
Charles Lang Freer 1854-1919

Description

Bowl with straight flaring sides; flat base. Unglazed with 16 round spurmarks at edge; 17 similar spurmarks in glaze inside. Remains of spurs adhering to several scars.
Clay: hard gray ware fired reddish brown.
Glaze: thin olive green with light brown crackle and stained areas; only one-third of the way down outside.

Label

This hastily glazed bowl was fired economically in a stack of identical bowls. The small balls of coarse clay used to separate it from bowls below and above left their outlines in the glaze and on the unglazed base. An unidentifed kiln made this bowl, but the stacking technique, related to Yue ware, suggests a location in south China.

Published References
  • Martin P. Amt, Rob Barnard. In Praise of Feet. vol. 18, no. 2 Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts, June 1990. p. 22.
  • Louise Allison Cort, Massumeh Farhad, Ann C. Gunter. Asian Traditions in Clay: The Hauge Gifts. Washington, 2000. p. 101, fig. 4.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
SI Usage Statement

Usage Conditions Apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. 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 Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Request Permission | Terms of Use