Object: Vase in shape of archaic jade cong F1911.348

Classification: Vessel

Historical period(s): Qing dynasty, 18th century

Object Date: 18th century

Medium: Stoneware with Guan-style glaze

Style: Guan style ware

Dimension(s): H x W: 21.8 x 9.3 cm (8 9/16 x 3 11/16 in)

Origin: China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen

Credit Line: Gift of Charles Lang Freer

Collection: Freer Gallery of Art Collection

Accession Number: F1911.348

Provenance: To 1911
Shir Gu Sai, China, to 1911 [1]

From 1911 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Shir Gu Sai, in China, in 1911 [2]

From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

Notes:

[1] See Original Pottery List, L. 2133, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

[2] See note 1.

[3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

Previous owner(s): Shir Gu Sai (C.L. Freer source)
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

Description: Flower-vase: square, with circular mouth and base -- "earth-form". Wood stand.
Clay: hard, resonant; foot: hard, gray.
Glaze: soft, light bluish-gray; brown wash on foot.
Decoration: molded in relief.

Past label text: 1. (September, 1983 -- from an exhibition label: Studies in Connoisseurship: 1923-1983) Chinese descriptions of Sung dynasty wares place special emphasis upon the types of crackle and the colors of the glaze. Consequently, Western collectors of Chinese ceramics sought pieces whose glazes suggested that they were products of the famous Sung kilns; when Charles Lang Freer purchased this vase in Peking in 1911, he believed it to be a Sung example of Ko ware [char].

Doubts about the early date of the piece were expressed by John E. Lodge, the first director of the Freer Gallery, in 1922 as he prepared the collection for the inaugural exhibition. Lodge proposed a Ch'ing dynasty date for the vase without giving specific reasons for his attribution.

Recent research on Ch'ing dynasty ceramics has emphasized the antiquarian tastes which flourished in the 18th century and which resulted in a revival of many Sung dynasty wares, produced at Ching-te Chen [char], Kiangsi Province. The shape of the Freer vase, based on an ancient jade tsung [char] can be identified as an 18th century archaistic piece on the basis of its general heaviness, the foot rim dressed with a brown slip, the unctuous quality of the glaze, and the absence of a crackle consistent with Sung dynasty wares. On the basis of these characteristics, the original designation of the vase has been changed from Ko ware to Kuan [char] type ware.

Curatorial Remarks

1. Purchased from Shir Gu-sai, in China. For price see L. 2133, original Pottery List.

2. Original attribution: Chinese. Sung. Ko-yao. See further, S.I. 1475, Appendix IV and Envelope File (See Par. 6).

3. (C.L. Freer) Fine but not equal to S.I. 1465 (F1911.338) or 1666 (F1916.578).

4. (G.D. Guest, 1922) See Laufer: Jade, pp. 152-153, for notes on vases of this form.

5. (J.E. Lodge, 1922) Good of its kind -- might be 17th or 18th century -- fine quality.

6. (H.E. Buckman, 1964) The Envelope File contained no further information, and has now been destroyed.

7. (H.C. Lovell, 1978) Kuan-type ware was added to the attribution. See F1911.344 and F1937.16; attribution on these objects was changed from Sung, Kuan ware to Ch'ing, Kuan-type ware. The reasons given for attribution change on those objects are valid for this <u>tsung<e> shaped vase.

8. (September, 1983 -- from an exhibition label: Studies in Connoisseurship: 1923-1983) Chinese descriptions of Sung dynasty wares place special emphasis upon the types of crackle and the colors of the glaze. Consequently, Western collectors of Chinese ceramics sought pieces whose glazes suggested that they were products of the famous Sung kilns; when Charles Lang Freer purchased this vase in Peking in 1911, he believed it to be a Sung example of Ko 哥 ware.

Doubts about the early date of the piece were expressed by John E. Lodge, the first director of the Freer Gallery, in 1922 as he prepared the collection for the inaugural exhibition. Lodge proposed a Ch'ing dynasty date for the vase without giving specific reasons for his attribution.

Recent research on Ch'ing dynasty ceramics has emphasized the antiquarian tastes which flourished in the 18th century and which resulted in a revival of many Sung dynasty wares, produced at Ching-te Chen 景徳鎮, Kiangsi Province. The shape of the Freer vase, based on an ancient jade tsung 琮 can be identified as an 18th century archaistic piece on the basis of its general heaviness, the foot rim dressed with a brown slip, the unctuous quality of the glaze, and the absence of a crackle consistent with Sung dynasty wares. On the basis of these characteristics, the original designation of the vase has been changed from Ko ware to Kuan 官 type ware.

9. (L.A. Cort, June 1998) "Monochrome" deleted, "Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen" added to identification. "Porcelain" added to clay.

10. (Louise Cort, 10 April 2006) Changed (Style) "Guan ware" to "guan type ware."

11. (Louise Cort, 1 May 2009) Changed Title from Vase to Vase in shape of archaic jade cong.

12. (Louise Cort, 29 June 2010) Changed Ware from Guan type ware to Guan style ware.

Published References: Published References are currently unavailable.

SI Usage Statement

Usage conditions apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. 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..

Save this image | Request Permission | Terms of use

Vase in shape of archaic jade cong

Related Objects

Web Resources