Pendant in the form of a fish

Fish pendant of mottled green jade with lighter veination. Straight in form, lenticular in section, with profile tapering toward snout, cut in for dorsal and ventral fins, and narrowing to splayed bifurcated tail. Diagonal striations indicate fins, while gills, eyes, and tail are indicated by incised outlines. Conical perforation indicates mouth.

Historical period(s)
Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty, ca. 1300-1050 BCE
Medium
Jade (nephrite)
Dimensions
H x W x D: 2.1 × 5 × 0.4 cm (13/16 × 2 × 3/16 in)
Geography
China, probably Henan province, Anyang
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1979.29
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Jade, Jewelry and Ornament
Type

Pendant

Keywords
Anyang period (ca. 1300 - ca. 1050 BCE), Carl Whiting Bishop collection, China, fish
Provenance

From 1923-25
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased by Carl Whiting Bishop’s assistant, Dong Guangzhong in China. [1]

Notes:

[1] See Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920 file, Collections Management Office. The object was transferred from the Freer Study Collection (Bishop Collection) to the permanent collection on August 8, 1974. Also see Curatorial Remark 3 in the object record.

Description

Fish pendant of mottled green jade with lighter veination. Straight in form, lenticular in section, with profile tapering toward snout, cut in for dorsal and ventral fins, and narrowing to splayed bifurcated tail. Diagonal striations indicate fins, while gills, eyes, and tail are indicated by incised outlines. Conical perforation indicates mouth.

Published References
  • J. Keith Wilson, Jingmin Zhang. Jades for Life and Death. .
  • Julia Murray. A Decade of Discovery: Selected Acquisitions 1970-1980. Exh. cat. Washington, 1979. cat. 2, p. 13.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Jades for Life and Death
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