Transcription of Shang dynasty oracle inscriptions

Object Details

• Artist

  Dong Zuobin (1895-1963)

• Label

  Dong Zuobin was one of the leading Chinese scholars who participated in official excavations at Anyang, Henan province, the site of the last capital of the Shang dynasty (circa 1600–circa 1046 BCE). He devoted most of his career to studying oracle-bone inscriptions. On this scroll he imitated the characters found on a piece from the era of Wu Ding, who reigned from circa 1250 to 1192 BCE. The sharp, pointed ends of the brushstrokes imitate the carved strokes on the oracle bone. Dong Zuobin presented this scroll to the Freer Gallery of Art during a visit to Washington, D.C., on September 9, 1947.

• Provenance

  From 1946

  Freer Gallery of Art, given by the artist, Dong Zuobin (1895-1963) in 1946 [1]

  Notes:

  [1] The artist presented the object to the Freer Gallery of Art during a visit to the United States in 1946 (see Curatorial Note 2, Fu Shen, 1980, in the object record).

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Writing, Carving and Rubbing: China’s Calligraphic Arts (April 4 to October 25, 2009)

  Chinese Calligraphy (May 9, 1980 to November 14, 1980)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Dong Zuobin (1895-1963)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Tung Tso-pin (Dong Zuobin)

• Type

  Calligraphy

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1940s, 1890s

• Name

  Dong, Zuobin

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Art, Chinese Art, Modern period (1912 - present)

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Calligraphy (visual works)