Toiletry box (lian) with cover

Smooth dark green patina with incised design on both cover and body. Supported on three ball feet.

Historical period(s)
Han dynasty, 2nd-1st century BCE
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
H x W: 12 x 15.2 cm (4 3/4 x 6 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1946.11
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Metalwork, Vessel
Type

Ritual vessel: lian

Keywords
China, Han dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE)
Provenance

From 1941 to 1946
C. T. Loo & Company, New York from April 1941 [1]

From 1946
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from C. T. Loo & Company on March 18, 1946 [2]

Notes:

[1] See C. T. Loo's stockcard no. 87101: "Bronze round box CHIN with cover decorated in cut in designs of fighting animals, and two bands of lozenges around rim and foot. cover with a loop. knob raising in the center of a four petal flower and, fighting animal turquoise patina. Late Chou," C. T. Loo & Frank Caro Archive, Musée Guimet, Paris, copy in object file. In April 1941, the object was brought to the Freer Gallery for examination and later returned to C. T. Loo. The same year it was taken by Loo to Alfred F. Pillsbury but subsequently was returned. In December 1945, the vase was sent again to the Freer Gallery.

[2] See C. T. Loo's invoice, dated March 18, 1946, copy in object file.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

C.T. Loo & Company 1914-1948

Description

Smooth dark green patina with incised design on both cover and body. Supported on three ball feet.

Published References
  • Jessica Rawson. A Group of Han Dynasty Bronzes with Chased Decoration and Some Related Ceramics., Winter 1973. fig. 6.
  • Grace Dunham Guest, Archibald Gibson Wenley. Annotated Outlines of the History of Chinese Arts. Washington, 1949. p. 5.
  • Jessica Rawson. Chinese Bronzes from the Sedgewick Collection., Summer 1971. pp. 148-155, fig. 14.
  • Dr. John Alexander Pope, Rutherford John Gettens, James Cahill, Noel Barnard. The Freer Chinese Bronzes. Oriental Studies Series, vol. 1, no. 7 Washington. cat. 120, p. 607.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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