Vase

Object Details

• Description

  Modified "arrow-vase" (peach-shaped) with large, averted rim, thick lip and long cylindrical neck tapering into globular body. Body rests on visible footring formed when foot trimmed.

  Clay: Porcelain, footrim slightly darkened on surface by use.

  Glaze: Underglaze brown pigment applied to interior and exterior of vase. Over brown glaze, purple, glaze poured onto neck and allowed to run arbitrarily down sides of body. Glaze fans out over body and pools at base above footring. The purple glaze is has an opalescent, glassy sheen produced during firing. Between the areas of purple glaze, the brown glaze has pitted "orange peel" texture, the result of minute bubbles in the glaze which burst at high temperatures during firing. Colorless glaze applied to foot. Unglazed footrim.

  Decoration: The variation of the brown and purple opalescent glazes provides the decoration for this vase.

  Signatures/Inscriptions: Paper label: "Z6353 $12" (This piece retains its original sticker price on its foot.)

• Marks

  Paper label: "Z6353 $12" (This piece retains its original sticker price on its foot.)

• Provenance

  To ?

  Charles M. Kurtz (1855-1909). [1]

  To 1991

  Isabel S. Kurtz (1901-1991). [2]

  From 1991

  Freer Gallery of Art, bequest of Isabel S. Kurtz (1901-1991). [3]

  Notes:

  [1] Ms. Isabel Kurtz bequeathed the group of Asian ceramics, F1991.19-.44, to the Freer Gallery of Art.

  These objects had been collected by her father, Charles M. Kurtz, who was a friend of Charles Freer.

  [2] See note 1. Also see Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920 file, Collections Management Office.

  [3] See note 2.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Previous custodian or owner

  Charles M. Kurtz (1855-1909)

  Isabel S. Kurtz (1901-1991)

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  Bequest of Isabel S. Kurtz

• Type

  Vessel

• 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

  1890s

• Name

  Kurtz, Isabel S., Kurtz, Charles M.

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Porcelain, Art, Japanese Art, Brown and black glaze, Ceramics, Meiji era (1868 - 1912)

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)