Vase

Vase with globular body, tall slender neck; low foot. Monochrome — lavender blue.
Body: white porcelain, heavily potted.
Glaze: thick, even, rich gray-blue with minute bubbles and even crackle stained brown; same inside footrim; white on lip and inside.
Decoration: none; ferruginous dressing on unglazed footrim.

Historical period(s)
Qing dynasty, Kangxi reign, 1662-1722
Medium
Porcelain with lavendar-blue glaze
Style
Jingdezhen ware
Dimensions
H x W: 41.2 x 21.2 cm (16 1/4 x 8 3/8 in)
Geography
China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1947.16
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Vase

Keywords
China, Jingdezhen ware, Kangxi reign (1662 - 1722), porcelain, Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911)
Provenance

Prior to 1903
Henry G. Marquand (1819-1902), New York, prior to 1903 [1]

1903 to 1933
Herman A.E. Jaehne [2]

To 1947
Allen J. Mercher, New York, to 1947

From 1947
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Allen J. Mercher in 1947

Notes:

[1] According to Curatorial Remark 2, J.A.P. 1947: The recent history of this object is given in a letter from the dealer dated February 6, 1947; his account runs as follows: "Prior to 1903 this vase was owned by the late Henry Gurdon Marquand, who was President of the Metropolitan Museum of Art from 1889 to 1902. Mr. Marquand also used the Greek name of S'Henrici G. Mercatoris, and a private label bearing this latter name appears on the base of this vase. From 1903 to 1933 this vase was in the Collection of Herman A.E. Jaehne. It was on Loan Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum from Mr. Jaehne from 1929 to 1933 under their Museum Number L2915-2, which number also appears on the base of the vase."

[2] See note 1.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Allen J. Mercher
Herman A. E. Jaehne
Henry Gurdon Marquand 1819-1902

Description

Vase with globular body, tall slender neck; low foot. Monochrome -- lavender blue.
Body: white porcelain, heavily potted.
Glaze: thick, even, rich gray-blue with minute bubbles and even crackle stained brown; same inside footrim; white on lip and inside.
Decoration: none; ferruginous dressing on unglazed footrim.

Label

Monochromes of the Kangxi period (1662–1722) are distinguished by elegant shape and by beauty of color and texture of glaze. The lavender blue glaze of this vase is covered with a second glaze which seals the crackles and imparts a subtle depth to the color.

Published References
  • Oriental Ceramics: The World's Great Collections. 12 vols., Tokyo. vol. 10, pl. 36.
  • Dr. John Alexander Pope, Thomas Lawton, Harold P. Stern. The Freer Gallery of Art. 2 vols., Washington and Tokyo, 1971-1972. cat. 129, vol. 1: p. 179.
  • Masterpieces of Chinese and Japanese Art: Freer Gallery of Art handbook. Washington, 1976. p. 73.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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