Cricket Cage

There are six vertical seams on the sides and square seams at the base of this gourd, resulting from molds. A plain ivory rim reinforces the top edge of the gourd. One large and two smaller lions appear on the lid of the piece. The eyes of the lions are inlaid with a darker material. Beneath the lions a geometric reticulated design decorates the ivory lid.

a=gourd; b=ivory and wood lid; c= silk pouch with yellow, brown, and red trellis design over stripe lined in green silk. This pouch is missing its drawstring.

Historical period(s)
Qing dynasty, 19th century
Medium
Gourd, ivory, tortoise shell
Dimensions
H x W: 16.2 x 7 cm (6 3/8 x 2 3/4 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1984.38.10a-c
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Container
Type

Cricket cage

Keywords
China, cricket, Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), Robert Hatfield Ellsworth collection
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

There are six vertical seams on the sides and square seams at the base of this gourd, resulting from molds. A plain ivory rim reinforces the top edge of the gourd. One large and two smaller lions appear on the lid of the piece. The eyes of the lions are inlaid with a darker material. Beneath the lions a geometric reticulated design decorates the ivory lid.

a=gourd; b=ivory and wood lid; c= silk pouch with yellow, brown, and red trellis design over stripe lined in green silk. This pouch is missing its drawstring.

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

Usage Conditions Apply

There are restrictions for re-using this image. 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 Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery welcome information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

citation | Save this image How to download an image | Request Permission | Terms of Use

Related Objects