Inkstick in a brocade-covered box

Historical period(s)
Qing dynasty, 1891
Medium
Inkstick: soot, animal glue with gilding; box: paper with silk brocade
Dimensions
H x W x D: 11.5 x 2.6 x 1.5 cm (4 1/2 x 1 x 9/16 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1980.93.1a-b
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Tool and Equipment
Type

Inkstick

Keywords
China, Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), writing
Provenance

To 1918
Pang Yuanji (1864-1949), Shanghai, China, to 1918 [1]

From 1918 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), presented by Pang Yuanji in 1918 [2]

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

Notes:

[1] According to Curatorial Remark 2, Fu Shen, 1980, in the object record, this inkstick was with the writing set which had been presented to Charles Lang Freer in 1918 by the famous Chinese art collector P'ang Yuan Chi, from whom Freer acquired many important paintings. In an inscription carved on the ivory writing-brush holders (F1980.91.1ab-.2ab) and on the stone seal (F1980.92), P'ang dedicated the objects to Freer personally.

[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. The contents of Charles Lang Freer's writing set was acquired with his bequest. The pieces were transferred from the Study Collection to the Permanent Collection on January 15, 1980 (see Provenance Remark 1, Kate Theimer, March 22, 1995, in the object record).

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Charles Lang Freer 1854-1919
Pang Yuanji (C.L. Freer source) 1864-1949

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