Jades for Life and Death

Classification: Jewelry and Ornament

Historical period(s): Qing dynasty, 1736-1795

Object Date: 1736-1795

Medium: Jade (nephrite)

Dimension(s): H x W: 16.7 x 14.9 cm (6 9/16 x 5 7/8 in)

Origin: China

Credit Line: Gift of Charles Lang Freer

Collection: Freer Gallery of Art Collection

Accession Number: F1919.40

Provenance: Reportedly excavated in Shensi [1]

To 1919
You Xiaoxi (late 19th-early 20th century), Shanghai, to 1919 [2]

1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from You Xiaoxi, in New York, in 1919 [3]

From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [4]

Notes:

[1] According to Curatorial Remark 7, H. E. Buckman, 1964, in the object record: the Envelope File, which has now been destroyed, stated "Excavated at Shensi."

[2] See Original Miscellaneous List, S.I. 1417, pg. 336, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

[3] See note 2.

[4] 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): 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, in New York. For price, see Original Miscellaneous List, p. 336.

2. Original attribution: Chou. See further, S.I. 1419, Appendix IX.

3. (J. E. Lodge, 1927) Early Ch'ing.

4. Sp. G. is 2.949.

5. (A. G. Wenley, 1945) Ch'ing dynasty, Ch'ien Lung piece.

6. (E. H. West, 1956) X-ray diffraction analysis. Nephrite. Film F-120. 2/10/56.

7. (H. E. Buckman, 1964) The Envelope File, which has now been destroyed, stated: "Excavated at Shensi."

8. (Julia K. Murray, 1982) For a general discussion of jade axes, see 18.35. The elaborately decorated 19.40 is an archaistic version using motifs drawn from the repertoire of ancient bronze decor. The "articulated top" mentioned in the description takes the form of two confronting dragons, whose features are rendered in a combination of relief, openwork, and incised details.

9. (J. Smith per Stephen Allee, 8/1/2008) Secondary classification Jewelry and Ornament added.

Published References: Published References are currently unavailable.

CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0): This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. 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 | Terms of use

Axe-shaped ornament

Related Objects

Web Resources