One-tier tube (cong 琮) with masks

Classification: Ceremonial Object

Maker(s): Artist: Liangzhu culture 良渚 (ca. 3300-ca. 2250 BCE)

Historical period(s): Late Neolithic period, ca. 3000-ca. 2250 BCE

Object Date: ca. 3000-ca. 2250 BCE

Medium: Jade (nephrite)

Dimension(s): H x W x D: 2.9 x 8.1 x 8.1 cm (1 1/8 x 3 3/16 x 3 3/16 in)

Origin: China, Lake Tai region

Credit Line: Gift of Elizabeth Meyer Lorentz

Collection: Freer Study Collection

Accession Number: FSC-S-99

: 人面紋單節琮
新石器時代晚期良渚文化（公元前3300--2250年）
公元前3300--2250年
中國太湖地區
軟玉
高2.9、寬8.1、厚8.1 釐米
伊麗莎白·梅耶·羅倫玆女士贈送
佛利爾研究性收藏品 FSC-S-99

Provenance: To 1970
Agnes E. Meyer

From 1970 to 2000
Elizabeth Meyer Lorentz, by descent from Agnes E. Meyer

From 2000
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Elizabeth Meyer Lorentz [1]

Notes

[1] Deed of Gift. Gift was accepted on November 26, 2000, before the death of Mrs. (Meyer) Lorentz on January 27, 2001.

Previous owner(s): Agnes E. Meyer (1887-1970)
Elizabeth Meyer Lorentz (1913-2001)

Description: Squared, hollow cylinder of the type ts'ung [cong] 琮; narrow projecting collar at both ends; mottled brown and tan, partially covered with cream coating that almost hides the decoration—channeled and incised, circles, bands of fine lines and grooves, traces of meander pattern.

Curatorial Remarks

1. (Elizabeth F. Duley, 3/8/2016) Gift accepted 10/26/00 before Mrs. Lorentz' death on 1/27/01.

This item was noted in Christie's draft appraisal dated 11/2/1999 and noted as: "#191 A GREEN JADE CONG 琮Neolithic, Liangzhu 良渚 culture, Diameter 3 1/4 inches (item in will) valued at $10,000."

The appraisal was included in a letter dated 12/2/1999 to the Freer from Mrs. Lorentz's attorney's Cravath, Swaine & Moore and was indicated as: " (q) archaic green jade Cong 琮, early Western Zhou 周 Dynasty, incised on each corner with fine threaded lines, calcification, diameter 3 - 1/4 inches."

2. (Jenny F. So, May 24, 2000) Further investigation is needed to determine the extent of manipulation of both carved design and surface.

3. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, July 17, 2008) Ceremonial Object added as secondary classification.

4. (Susan Kitsoulis per Keith Wilson, April 20, 2010) Object name changed from "Tube (cong 琮)" to "Ceremonial object." Title canged from "Cong" to Tube (cong 琮)."

5. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, April 29, 2016) Late Neolithic period, Liangzhu culture, ca. 3000-ca. 2250 BCE, China, Lake Tai region.

6. (Jeffrey Smith, September 28, 2018) After review of the Deed of Gift on file, the credit line was changed from "Gift of Mrs. Elizabeth Lorentz" to "Gift of Elizabeth Meyer Lorentz"

Published References

J. Keith Wilson, Jingmin Zhang. Jades for Life and Death. .

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