Bear

Marble sculpture of a squatting bear carved from one piece of stone. There is a hole at the top of the head with two drilled openings to allow object to be hung. The recesses for the nostrils and navel are also drilled. Color is a mottled off-white/light brown, with a black, glossy material seen in recessed areas and cracks. (Proper right ear is broken and missing; a chip approximately one centimeter in diameter is seen on the proper left foot.)

Historical period(s)
Forgery in the style of the late Shang dynasty, 20th century
Medium
Marble
Dimensions
H x W x D: 11.4 x 5.4 x 9.2 cm (4 1/2 x 2 1/8 x 3 5/8 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; a joint gift of The Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, Paul Singer, the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, and the Children of Arthur M. Sackler
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
S1999.120.3
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Sculpture, Stone
Type

Figure

Keywords
Anyang period (ca. 1300 - ca. 1050 BCE), bear, China, forgery, Paul Singer collection
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Marble sculpture of a squatting bear carved from one piece of stone. There is a hole at the top of the head with two drilled openings to allow object to be hung. The recesses for the nostrils and navel are also drilled. Color is a mottled off-white/light brown, with a black, glossy material seen in recessed areas and cracks. (Proper right ear is broken and missing; a chip approximately one centimeter in diameter is seen on the proper left foot.)

Published References
  • J. Keith Wilson, Jingmin Zhang. Jades for Life and Death. .
  • Max Loehr. Relics of Ancient China: From the Collection of Dr. Paul Singer. Exh. cat. New York. cat. 24.
  • Louisa Fitzgerald Huber. Selections of Chinese Art in Private Collections. New York. cat. 11.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Jades for Life and Death
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