Zhangzhou ware dish

Bowl: everted rim, grit-encrusted foot, five chips in rim.
Clay: white porcelain, medium coarse, oxidized brown where exposed.
Glaze: clear, feldspathic; thick, “lardy” and pitted outside.
Decoration: Boldly painted in polychrome low-fired overglaze enamels, iron-red, turquoise, green and some black outlining. Two flying birds with clouds and large flowers fill the center; two dragons undulate among the clouds, flame and plant forms on the cavetto. Outside is a double iron-red line under the rim.

Historical period(s)
Ming dynasty, early 17th century
Medium
Porcelain with polychrome enamels over clear, colorless glaze
Style
Zhangzhou ware
Dimensions
H x W x D: 9.9 x 37.8 x 37.8 cm (3 7/8 x 14 7/8 x 14 7/8 in)
Geography
China, Fujian province, Zhangzhou kilns
Credit Line
Gift of Alan, David and Donald Winslow
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1979.44
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Dish

Keywords
China, dragon, flower, Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644), plant, porcelain, Zhangzhou ware
Provenance

Estate of the Honorable William R. Castle. [1]

To 1970
Alan F., David C., and Donald F. Winslow, by inheritance from the estate of the Honorable William R. Castle. [2]

From 1970
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Alan F., David C., and Donald F. Winslow. [3]

Notes:

[1] Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record.

[2] The object came to the Freer Study Collection in 1970 (FSC-P-1133). It was transferred to the permanent collection in 1979. Alan F., David C., and Donald F. Winslow are the heirs of the Estate of the Honorable W. R. Castle. See note 1 and correspondences in the object file, Collections Management Office. Also see Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920 file, Collections Management Office.

[3] See note 2.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Alan, Donald and David Winslow
William Richards Castle 1849-1935

Description

Bowl: everted rim, grit-encrusted foot, five chips in rim.
Clay: white porcelain, medium coarse, oxidized brown where exposed.
Glaze: clear, feldspathic; thick, "lardy" and pitted outside.
Decoration: Boldly painted in polychrome low-fired overglaze enamels, iron-red, turquoise, green and some black outlining. Two flying birds with clouds and large flowers fill the center; two dragons undulate among the clouds, flame and plant forms on the cavetto. Outside is a double iron-red line under the rim.

Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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