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Lidded incense burner (xianglu) with geometric decoration and narrative scenes

Object Details

Provenance
Before 1947
Jun Tsei Tai (1911-1992), Shanghai, China to February 1949 then New York, NY [1]
1947
Lu Wu Antiques Co., Shanghai, China purchased from Jun Tsei Tai in Shanghai [2]
February 1947
C. T. Loo & Company, New York, by transfer from Lu Wu Antiquities Co. in February 1947 in Shanghai, China [3]
From July 1947
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from C. T. Loo & Company in July 1947 [4]
Notes:
[1] Jun Tsei Tai (more commonly known in the West as J. T. Tai), known also as Dai Fubao in Shanghai, was an incredibly successful art dealer who was initially based in Shanghai China. Tai became one of C. T. Loo's most prolific suppliers in the 1940s. In 1949, however, J. T. Tai fled with his family to Hong Kong, when Communist leaders came into power. In 1950, he immigrated to New York City, where he established J. T. Tai & Company, a successful company that specialized in the sale of Chinese arts.
See C. T. Loo's stock card no. NYL-7/982: "Bronze hill-censer on a wide spreading foot with three dragons in relief inlaid with gold, silver and various stones. Body decorated with bands of abstract motives in gold, silver with turquoise and rubies. Cover with fine rows of hills with hunting scenes, fighting animals and birds in gold, silver and hard stones inlaid, many stones missing Late Chou," copy in object file. The card states that this object came from J. T. Tai.
[2] Lu Wu was an export business that supplied C. T. Loo & Company, New York and Paris with Chinese objects. Loo formed this company in 1926. The name, Lu Wu combines the names of C. T. Loo and Wu Qi Zhou, Lu Wu's primary associates. The business acquired objects from across China, but everything passed through Shanghai before being sent to France. Zhou and Laio would send all acquisitions to Shanghai, where Wu packaged and shipped them to France. J. T. Tai (see note 1) began working with Lu Wu around 1938. Tai operated Fuyun zhai guwandian, a shop with a large inventory in Shanghai.
[3] See C. T. Loo & Company stock card cited in note 1.
[4] See C. T. Loo & Company invoice, date July 8, 1947, copy in object file.
Research updated January 25, 2022.
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Exhibition History
Art and Industry: China’s Houma Foundry (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)
Chinese Mountains of Immortality: A Focused Look (April 2 to September 25, 2005)
Clay and Metal: Ancient Chinese Ceramics and Metal (February 25, 1997 to August 9, 2011)
Chinese Metalwork (May 9, 1993 to March 21, 1997)
Chinese Art (February 18, 1983 to April 1, 1987)
Chinese Art (March 15, 1982 to June 15, 1982)
Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)
Chinese Bronze, Jade, Metalwork (March 1, 1957 to January 1, 1963)
Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 14 and 15 (February 25, 1956 to March 1, 1957)
Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Art, 1955 (August 26, 1955 to October 25, 1955)
Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1946 (May 7, 1946 to February 25, 1956)
Previous custodian or owner
Jun Tsei Tai 戴潤齋 (1911-1992)
C. T. Loo 盧芹齋 (1880-1957)
Lu Wu Antiques Co. 盧吳古玩公司 (1911-ca. 1949)
C.T. Loo & Company (1914-1948)
Date
ca. 2nd century BCE
Period
Early Western Han dynasty
Origin
Henan or Hebei province, China
Topic
casting
inlay (process)
metal
bronze
animal
landscape
Daoism
Western Han dynasty (206 BCE - 9 CE)
incense
China
Chinese Art
On View
Freer Gallery 18: Art and Industry: China's Ancient Houma Foundry
Related Online Resources
Google Cultural Institute
See more items in
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Data Source
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Accession Number
F1947.15a-b
Type
Vessel
Restrictions & Rights
CC0
Medium
Bronze with gold, silver, turquoise, and carnelian inlay
Dimensions
H x W: 17.9 x 10 cm (7 1/16 x 3 15/16 in)
Record ID
fsg_F1947.15a-b
Metadata Usage
CC0
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ye3e4db4f58-a6f7-4578-a51a-3f62430f2242
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