Ritual wine container (<em>hu</em>) with masks
date: label: Date
content: ca. late10th-early 9th century BCE
label: Period
content: Middle Western Zhou dynasty
notes: label: Description
content: Ceremonial vessel of the type hu. A hole in the foot rim.
label: Description
content: Surface: brown and green patina, with earthy incrustation.
label: Description
content: Decoration: in low relief; animalisitc handles in full relief.
label: Provenance
content: To 1912
label: Provenance
content: Imperial Household collection of Prince Kung of China, Beijing, to 1912 [1]
label: Provenance
content: From 1912 to 1913
label: Provenance
content: Yamanaka & Company, purchased from Prince Kung estate, to 1913 [2]
label: Provenance
content: From 1913 to 1919
label: Provenance
content: Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased at the sale of the Prince Kung Collection (by order of Yamanaka & Company), American Art Association, New York February 27-28 and March 1, 1913 [3]
label: Provenance
content: From 1920
label: Provenance
content: Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [4]
label: Provenance
content: Notes:
label: Provenance
content: [1] According to Curatorial Remark 3, Charles Lang Freer, undated, in the object record: "The Yamanakas bought this piece directly from the late Prince Kung during 1912, brought it to New York and sold it to me through an auction held at the American Art Association galleries, on February 28, 1913. This piece, along with S.I. 517, was in former years in the collection of Prince Kung." The Imperial Household collection of Prince Kung was under the authority of Prince Kung Ching Wang (Yixin) (1833-1898), and, later, Prince Puwei (Prince Gongxian) (1880-1936), before Yamanaka and Company acquired it. See Illustrated Catalogue of the Remarkable Collection of the Imperial Prince Kung of China, A Wonderful Treasury of Celestial Art: recently acquired by the widely known firm of Yamanaka & Company (New York: American Art Association, 1913). See also, Original Bronze List, S.I. 389, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.
label: Provenance
content: [2] See note 1.
label: Provenance
content: [3] See note 1.
label: Provenance
content: [4] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.
label: Collection
content: Freer Gallery of Art Collection
label: Exhibition History
content: Art and Industry: China’s Houma Foundry (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)
label: Exhibition History
content: Clay and Metal: Ancient Chinese Ceramics and Metal (February 25, 1997 to August 9, 2011)
label: Exhibition History
content: Chinese Art (February 18, 1983 to April 1, 1987)
label: Exhibition History
content: Chinese Art (March 15, 1982 to June 15, 1982)
label: Exhibition History
content: Chinese Art (March 9, 1981 to March 12, 1982)
label: Exhibition History
content: Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)
label: Exhibition History
content: Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Metalwork (March 14, 1931 to March 22, 1943)
label: Exhibition History
content: Chinese Jades and Bronze, East Corridor (November 19, 1923 to March 14, 1931)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Prince Kung Ching Wang (1833-1898)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Yamanaka and Co. 山中商会 (1917-1965) (C.L. Freer source)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
place: label: Origin
content: China
topic: label: Topic
content: casting
label: Topic
content: metal
label: Topic
content: bronze
label: Topic
content: Western Zhou dynasty (ca. 1050 - 771 BCE)
label: Topic
content: mask
label: Topic
content: China
label: Topic
content: Chinese Art
label: Topic
content: Charles Lang Freer collection
setName: label: On View
content: West Building (Freer Gallery of Art), Gallery 18: Art and Industry: China's Ancient Houma Foundry
label: Related Online Resources
content: Google Arts & Culture
label: See more items in
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Charles Lang Freer
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: F1913.21
objectType: label: Type
content: Vessel
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Bronze
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 48.8 x 33.3 x 27.8 cm (19 3/16 x 13 1/8 x 10 15/16 in)