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Longquan ware cup

Object Details

Description
Squat cup with foliate flange resting above a small, U-shaped handle. Rim almost as wide as maximum diameter of body, which swells out slightly. Short, narrow footring. Clay: stoneware, bright orange on surface where exposed on unglazed rim and edge of footring.
Glaze: misfired Guan-type glaze, appearing dull tan with uneven blue-purple blotches; densely crackled with pattern of larger cracks.
Label
Guan-type glaze is difficult to control, and this cup demonstrates an undesirable variation in glaze color and texture that occurs when the glaze is oxidized (fired with abundant oxygen) and under fired.
This cup has a light- rather than dark-colored body and was probably made in Longquan. Some scholars believe the Guan glaze originated at the Longquan kilns and was then adopted at the imperial kiln in Hangzhou; once Guan ware was in vogue at the court, influences percolated back to Longquan.
Provenance
From 1962
Dr. Irving Philips, San Francisco, purchased in 1962 [1]
From 1986
Freer Gallery of Art, given by Dr. Irving Philips in 1986 [2]
Notes:
[1] According to Curatorial Note 6 in object record.
[2] The object was transferred from the Freer Study Collection to the Freer Permanent Collection on May 22, 1987 (see Curatorial Note 6 in object record).
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Exhibition History
Shades of Green and Blue: Chinese Celadon Ceramics (July 15, 1997 to September 7, 2004)
Previous custodian or owner
Dr. Irving Philips
Credit Line
Gift of Dr. Irving Philips
Data Source
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Date
12th-13th century
Period
Southern Song dynasty
Accession Number
F1987.2a-b
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Vessel
Medium
Stoneware with misfired Guan-type glaze
Dimensions
H x W x D: 5.1 x 11.6 x 10.2 cm (2 x 4 9/16 x 4 in)
Style
Longquan ware, Guan type
Origin
Probably Dayao kiln or Qikou kiln, Longquan, Zhejiang province, China
Related Online Resources
Google Cultural Institute
See more items in
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection
Topic
ceramic
Longquan ware, Guan type
Southern Song dynasty (1127 - 1279)
China
stoneware
Chinese Art
Record ID
fsg_F1987.2a-b
Usage
Not determined
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ye3c431439f-dbfb-4c03-8dfd-47e334bcda7b
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IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.
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Open daily 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

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street map of Postal museum

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