Ritual food serving vessel (jing gui)

Historical period(s)
Western Zhou dynasty, 10th century BCE
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
H x W x D: 15.5 x 32.1 x 23.5 cm (6 1/8 x 12 5/8 x 9 1/4 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Gift of Arthur M. Sackler
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S1987.329
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Metalwork, Vessel
Type

Ritual vessel: gui

Keywords
China, Western Zhou dynasty (ca. 1050 - 771 BCE)
Provenance

?
Qianlong Emperor (1711--1799), Forbidden City, China [1]

By 1948 to 1967
Private Collector, New York, NY acquired in China before 1948 [2]

1967
Sale, New York, Parke-Bernet galleries, Oriental Art, December 14-15, 1967, lot 177: "Ritual Bronze Food Vessel (Kuei)" [3]

To 1987
Arthur M. Sackler, New York, NY [4]

From 1987
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift from Arthur M. Sackler on September 11, 1987 [5]

Notes:

[1] See Liang Shizheng et al., Xi Qing gu jian, 1755. Illustrated catalogue of bronzes in the Imperial collection (Rong Geng & Zhang Weichi 1958), 27, 14-15.

[2] See Parke-Bernett Galleries, New York, Oriental Art, sale cat. (New York: Parke-Bernet Galleries, December 14 -- 15, 1967), p. 24, lot 177. The catalogue states this object is "the property of a New York Private Collector" and that his objects were "collected in China before 1948."

[3] See note 2

[4] The date Arthur M. Sackler purchased this object remains unknown. The means in which he acquired the object also remains unknown. This object was part of his initial 1987 gift to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, see note 5.

[5] Pursuant to the agreement between Arthur M. Sackler and the Smithsonian Institution, dated July 28, 1982, legal title of the donated objects was transferred to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery on September 11, 1987.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Sotheby's
Hongli, the Qianlong emperor 1711-1799
Dr. Arthur M. Sackler 1913-1987

Published References
  • Oriental Art. Sale, December 14-15, 1967. Parke-Bernett Galleries, New York, December 14-15, 1967. lot 176, p. 24.
  • Rong Geng. Xi Qing gu Jian [Illustrated catalogue of bronzes in the Qing imperial collection]. Bejing: Ching Neifu Kanben. 27, 14-15.
  • Xi Mengcao. Haiwai guizhen teji: Zhongguo qiqi [Chinese Treasures Overseas, a special collection at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery]. no. 71, July 1991. pp. 58 -74.
  • Dawn Ho Delbanco. Art from Ritual: Ancient Chinese Bronze Vessels from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections. Exh. cat. Washington. cat. 37, pp. 98-99.
  • The Sze Yuan Tang Archaic Bronzes from the Anthony Hardy Collection: Christie's New York. sale 2508 New York, September 16, 2010. pp. 106-107, fig. 1.
  • et al. Asian Art in the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery: The Inaugural Gift. Washington, 1987. cat. 125, pp. 188-189.
  • Susanne Adamski. "Die Darstellung des Bogenschießens in Bronzeinschriften der West-Zhōu-Zeit (1045–771 v.Chr.): Eine philologische Quellenanalyse." The Representation of Archery in Western Zhou Bronze Inscriptions (1045-771 BC). Wiesbaden, Germany. p. 210, fig. 5.
  • Jessica Rawson. Western Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections. Ancient Chinese Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, vol. 2 Washington and Cambridge, Massachusetts. cat. 53, pp. 424-429.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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