Fragment of a green lead-glazed wall tile

Detail of a pattern
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At A Glance

  • Period

    15th-16th century
  • Geography

    Red River Delta kilns, Hai Duong province, Vietnam
  • Material

    Stoneware with copper-green-tinted lead glaze
  • Dimension

    H x W x D: 3.5 x 11 x 7.6 cm (1 3/8 x 4 5/16 x 3 in)
  • Accession Number

    FSC-P-438
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_FSC-P-438

Object Details

  • Description

    Shape: Corner fragment of a hollow-back wall tile. As the corner angle is approximately 135 degrees, the original shape of the tile may have been octagonal. Tile wall is 3.5 cm from face to base. The face of the tile varies from 1.8 - 2.0 cm in thickness. The edge of the tile wall is bevelled slightly on the inside and ranges in thickness from 2.2 cm at the back of the tile face to 1.8 cm at the base of the tile wall.
    Clay: Very fine-grained and almost white in color. Few inclusions but many air pockets, some extremely large. The surface of the tile is pitted and bulged where air bubbles emerged during firing.
    Glaze: Lead-based green in color where thinly applied; black where the glaze has pooled.
    Decoration: None.
    Marks: None.
  • Provenance

    To 1957
    Abu Ridho, Jakarta, Indonesia. [1]
    1957
    John A. Pope (1906-1982), Washington DC, gift of Abu Ridho, Jakarta, Indonesia. [2]
    From 1957
    Freer Gallery of Art, gift of John A. Pope, Washington DC [3]
    Notes:
    [1] See Curatorial Remark 2 in the object record.
    [2] See note 1.
    [3] See note 1. See also object file, Collections Management Office.
  • Collection

    Freer Study Collection
  • Previous custodian or owner

    Abu Ridho (born 1927)
    Dr. John Alexander Pope (1906-1982)
  • Origin

    Red River Delta kilns, Hai Duong province, Vietnam
  • Credit Line

    Gift of John A. Pope
  • Type

    Architectural Element
  • Restrictions and Rights

    Usage Conditions Apply

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