Jades for Life and Death

Classification: Ceremonial Object

Historical period(s): Song dynasty, 960-1279

Object Date: 960-1279

Medium: Jade (nephrite)

Dimension(s): H x W: 14.1 x 7.5 cm (5 9/16 x 2 15/16 in)

Origin: China

Credit Line: Gift of Charles Lang Freer

Collection: Freer Gallery of Art Collection

Accession Number: F1919.43

Provenance: Reportedly excavated in Shansi in the 18th century [1]

Acquired by an unnamed connoissuer [2]

Emperor Ch'ien-lung, given by an unnamed connoisuer [3]

To 1919
You Xiaoxi (late 19th-early 20th century), Shanghai, to 1919 [4]

1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from You Xiaoxi in 1919 [5]

From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [6]

Notes:

[1] Curatorial Remark 6, H. E. Buckman, 1964, in the object record, states: "The Envelope File, which has now been destroyed, gave the following information: This particular [object], excavated in Shansi in the 18th century, was acquired by a connoisseur who presented it to the Emperor Ch'ien-lung, and bears on one side an incised inscription, 'Feng No. 130, Imperial Ch'ien-lung Art Series.'"

[2] See note 1.

[3] See note 1.

[4] See Original Miscellaneous List, S.I. 1421, pg. 338, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

[5] See note 4.

[6] 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): Emperor Lung Ch'ien
You Xiaoxi 游篠溪 (C.L. Freer source) (late 19th-early 20th century)
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

Curatorial Remarks

1. Bought from Seaouke Yue, of Shanghai. For price, see Original Miscellaneous List, p. 338.

2. Original attribution: Chou. See further, S.I. 1421, Appendix IX.

3. Sp. G. is 2.892.

4. (A. G. Wenley, 1945) Sung dynasty, with Ch'ien Lung Collection number 130.

5. (E. H. West, 1956) X-ray diffraction analysis. Nephrite. Film F-142. 3/6/56.

6. (H. E. Buckman, 1964) The Envelope File, which has now been destroyed, gave the following information:

This particular <u>hu</u>, excavated in Shansi in the 18th century, was acquired by a connoisseur who presented it to the Emperor Ch'ien-lung, and bears on one side an incised inscription, "Feng No. 130, Imperial Ch'ien-lung Art Series."

7. (Julia K. Murray, 1982) The quadrilateral tablet 19.43 is based on the ancient axe (see folder sheet 18.35 for general discussion of jade axes). The dating of archaistic imitations of the ancient form is difficult and the choice of Sung for this tablet seems somewhat arbitrary. The inscription on the side does not include the words "Imperial Ch'ien-lung Art Series:" it says only Feng no. 130 (<u>Feng-tzu i-pai san-shih hao</u> [char.]). The dark brown color on most of the surfaces appears to be artificial staining.

Published References: Published References are currently unavailable.

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Axe-shaped tablet

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