Ritual food vessel (gui)

Chinese
Middle Western Chou, 10th century, B.C.

Ceremonial vessel of the type “kuei.” Cracks and small breaks in the bottom of the bowl.
Surface: mingled reddish-brown and green patina.
Decoration: in low and high relief. Inscription inside.

Historical period(s)
Western Zhou dynasty, 10th century BCE
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
H x W: 14.6 x 27.1 cm (5 3/4 x 10 11/16 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1911.53
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Metalwork, Vessel
Type

Ritual vessel: gui

Keywords
animal, China, food, inscription, mask, Western Zhou dynasty (ca. 1050 - 771 BCE)
Provenance

To 1911
Li Wenqing (circa 1869-1931), Shanghai to 1911 [1]

From 1911 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Li Wenqing in 1911 [2]

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

Notes:

[1] See Original Bronze List, S.I. 208, 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) and Custodian(s)

Charles Lang Freer 1854-1919
Li Wenqing (C.L. Freer source) ca. 1869-1931

Description

Chinese
Middle Western Chou, 10th century, B.C.

Ceremonial vessel of the type "kuei." Cracks and small breaks in the bottom of the bowl.
Surface: mingled reddish-brown and green patina.
Decoration: in low and high relief. Inscription inside.

Inscription(s)

The Envelope File which has now been destroyed, contained the following translation by D.K. Liu: "Kuo---Po-ting (name of maker) makes this valuable tun (vessel for cereals)."
(See Curatorial Remark number 4)

Published References
  • Shang Chou chin wen shi ch'eng. Multi-volume, Taipei. vol. 2: cat. 2436.
  • Dr. John Alexander Pope, Rutherford John Gettens, James Cahill, Noel Barnard. The Freer Chinese Bronzes. Oriental Studies Series, vol. 1, no. 7 Washington. cat. 69, p. 385.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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