Dish in the form of a plum blossom with figure watching water fowl

Object Details

• Label

  Gardens provided a source for creative inspiration for Chinese poets, calligraphers, and painters, who were frequently portrayed in both natural and cultivated settings. On this finely carved lacquer dish, a seated figure is shown intently gazing at the moving waterfowl and the scenery beyond. While the composition appears to be a generic scene of quiet repose it may have been inspired by the story of the fourth-century calligrapher Wang Xizhi (circa 307-365), who claimed that he learned principles of brush movement by studying the natural mannerisms of swimming geese. The dish, an early example of pictorial lacquers, is also notable for its unusual shape of a five-petal plum blossom. It is framed with a floral border that includes plum, peony, hibiscus, chrysanthemum, and camellia. This type of imagery proved popular on early Ming lacquer dishes and boxes, which were, perhaps, given as imperial gifts to respected members of the scholarly civil service.

• Provenance

  ?-to 1972

  Sammy Yu Kuan Lee, President of Oriental House, Ltd., Tokyo, and Sammy Y. Lee & Wangs Company, Ltd., Hong Kong [1]

  1972-1987

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987), New York, NY, purchased from Sammy Yu Kuan Lee, President of Oriental House, Ltd., Tokyo, and Sammy Y. Lee & Wangs Company, Ltd., Hong Kong [2]

  Unidentified owner, method of transfer unknown [3]

  1994-1996

  Estate of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, New York, NY [4]

  1996-1997

  Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, New York, NY, transferred from the Estate of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler [5]

  From 1997

  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation

  Notes:

  [1] See paper file from the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, copy in object file.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] The object was on loan to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery between 1987 and 1997.

  [4] See note 1. See curatorial remark 1.

  [5] See note 1.

• Collection

  Arthur M. Sackler Collection

• Exhibition History

  East of Eden: Gardens in Asian Art (February 24 to May 13, 2007)

  The Arts of China (November 18, 1990 to September 7, 2014)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Sammy Yu Kuan Lee 李汝寬

  Oriental House LTD

  Sammy Y. Lee & Wangs Company, Ltd.

  Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)

  Arthur M. Sackler Foundation (founded 1965)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1300s

• Name

  Lee, Sammy Yu Kuan, Sackler, Arthur M., Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, Oriental House LTD, Sammy Y. Lee & Wangs Company, Ltd.

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Pavilion, Bird watching, Art, Waterfowl, Chinese Art, Lacquer, Flowers, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), Plum blossom

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)