Art of China and Japan
Transcription
Art of China and Japan
OBJECT GUIDE Art of China and Japan Please return to holder or Information Desk. Version 12.15.2015 Questions? Contact us at [email protected] ACKLAND ART MUSEUM The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Campus Box 3400 Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3400 Phone: 919.966.5736 MUSEUM HOURS Wed - Sat: 10 AM - 5 PM Sun: 1 PM - 5 PM Closed Mondays & Tuesdays. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, & New Year's Day. PLAN YOUR VISIT Directions & Parking Current Exhibitions Museum Floorplan Museum Store Contact Us INTERACT Like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/AcklandArtMuseum Follow us on Twitter @AcklandArt Sign up to receive the Ackland's E-News Explore the Ackland’s blog at ackland.org/category/blog/ This Object Guide is made possible by the generous support of the Carolina Asia Center and the Title VI grant from the United States Department of Education. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 1 Unidentified artist Chinese, Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644 CE) Guan Yu, 1490s wood, lacquer and lacquer paste, leather, and hair, polychromed and gilded The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 95.2 This date for this sculpture is based on the technique used to carve the drapery and the style of the floral pattern in the costume. Guan Yu’s was a Chinese general who was captured and executed by his enemies in 219 CE. He appeared as a heroic character in the novel The Romance of the Three Kingdoms, written in the fourteenth century. In 1594, a century after this sculpture was made, the emperor officially elevated Guan Yu to divine status. For many in Ming dynasty China, it was important to celebrate the culture of the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), nostalgically making connections with that era’s noted accomplishments. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 2,3 Unidentified artist Chinese, Tang dynasty (618 – 907 CE) Tomb Guardian Figures, 7th century gray earthenware with cold-painted pigments and gold leaf Gift of the Tyche Foundation, 2010.20.2 (left) and 2010.20.1 (right) Chinese tombs during the Tang dynasty were often guarded by pairs of sculptures with weapons and grimacing faces to scare away evil spirits (and tomb robbers) that would disturb the afterlife of those buried within. These two tomb guardians are notable for the vibrancy of the surviving color and for their unusual slender form, frontal pose, tall helmets, and relatively static stance on U-shaped bases. Many other guardian figures from the Tang dynasty are more dynamically posed than these and shown standing on rocks or trampling on demons. In Tang dynasty tombs, core groups of figures generally included ceramic figures of two guardians like these, two guardian beasts, a pair of officials, and a group of horsemen, camels, and their grooms. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 4,5 Unidentified artist Chinese, Northern Wei dynasty (386 – 534 CE) Tomb Guardian Figures, early 6th century gray earthenware Gift of the Tyche Foundation, 2010.22.1 (left) and 2010.22.2 (right) Wei dynasty figures became more elongated than their predecessors from the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE). The stance of these figures is more elegant than intimidating. Both of these are dressed in high ceremonial hats, billowed long trousers bound at the knee, and robes with voluminous sleeves. They carry swords and wear two-part armor with front and back panels connected by straps. They are modeled in the three-quarter round (with a flat area at the back), which is typical of figures from this period. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 6,7 Unidentified artist Chinese, Han dynasty? (206 BCE – 220 CE) Taotie Masks with Ring Handles bronze The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 91.11ab (left) and 91.12ab (right) Taotie masks are the most important decorative motif in ancient Chinese art and they appear throughout later periods as well. Typically they have large, glaring eyes, fangs, curled lips, and horns. Because of the size of these taotie masks, it is likely that they functioned as handles on the door to a chamber in a tomb, guarding the tomb from intruders. The bronze casting in these handles leaves crisp edges in the scrolls around the monsters’ eyes, their heads, and the concentric circles in the rings. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 8 Unidentified artist Chinese, Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) Architectural Panel gray earthenware Spain Purchase Fund and The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 2011.2 One notable change in Han dynasty burial practice was the introduction of multi-chambered tombs, richly decorated with architectural elements. This brick was possibly a lintel placed above the doorway between rooms. In the center of the front panel, there is a taotie mask in high relief. It is framed by trellis borders and flanked by wide rows of stylized trees and roundels. There are also human figures, serpents, and a border design of running dragons. On the reverse side, the broad frieze includes more trees, roundels, and triangular foliate motifs within matching trellis borders. The decoration includes both hand-molded and stamped decorations. One tree on the front side is double stamped, to correct the placement of the tree form in the overall pattern. Because it is hollow, it probably dates from around the first century CE. Bricks made later were solid. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 9 Unidentified artist Japanese, Kofun period (c. 200 – 538 CE) Mirror with Daoist Decoration, 3rd-4th century bronze Gift of Charles Millard, 91.144 The decoration of this mirror includes two seated figures, who are probably Daoist divinities. At the right of the mirror, there is a one-horse carriage. Proceeding clockwise, the decoration continues: Xi Wangmu, Queen Mother of the West; a four-horse carriage; Dong Wangfu, King Father of the East. Interspersed among these figures are representations of four miniature mirrors. The mirror was made in imitation of Chinese designs, but some motifs, like the chariots that the figures ride in, are Japanese. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 10 Unidentified artist Chinese, Eastern Han dynasty (25 – 220 CE) Mirror with Daoist Divinities, 2nd or 3rd century bronze Gift of Clara T. and Gilbert J. Yager in honor of Timothy A. Riggs, 2007.8.7 Ancient Chinese mirrors were cast in bronze alloy that appeared silver when polished. The smooth side was polished until it gave a clear reflection; the back was elaborately decorated. At the center of the back a cord was strung through the knob in the center, so that the mirror could be handled without touching and tarnishing its surface. Mirrors were associated with courtship, marriage, and family life, but also with the presentation of the cosmic order. The imagery on this mirror includes Daoist divinities associated with the four points of the compass, each riding on a dragonlike beast: Xi Wangmu the Queen Mother of the West (left); Dong Wangfu the King Father of the East (right); Boya the Musician (top); and Huangdi the Yellow Emperor (bottom). Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 11 Unidentified artist Chinese, Six Dynasties period (220 – 589 CE) Mirror with the Animals of the Four Directions, 3rd-4th century bronze Ackland Fund, 92.24 This mirror features the animals known as the Four Divine Beasts, who are associated with the points of the compass. Clockwise from the top they are: the Black Tortoise of the North (entwined with a snake), the Blue Dragon of the East, the Red Bird of the South and the White Tiger of the West. The central knob on this mirror represents the center of the earth, which in Chinese cosmology was depicted as a mountain. Just inside the outer drifting cloud border is a saw tooth pattern symbolic of cosmic mountains believed to surround the sky along the edges of the universe. Besides bringing good fortune to the family, the ancient Chinese mirror was also a mandala, a symbolic map of the cosmos. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 12 Unidentified artist Chinese, Eastern Han dynasty (25 – 220 CE) Mirror, 2nd or 3rd century bronze Bequest of Gilbert J. Yager, 2007.8.6 Two bands of decoration on this mirror include small knobbed disks that represent miniature mirrors. They symbolize future children and grandchildren who will carry on the family of the person owning the mirror. The outer circle includes images of seven mythical beings. Four of these are the divine beasts that represent the points of the compass; one of them – the phoenix – is represented twice while the turtle and snake, the tiger, and the dragon are each shown once. In addition, there is a chimera and a mountain sprite. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 13 Unidentified artist Chinese, Tang dynasty (618 – 907 CE) Mirror with Lion and Grapevine Pattern bronze The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 90.37 Bronze mirrors were often placed in Chinese tombs. In that context, they were suspended over the deceased with the reflective side down. Mirrors symbolized marital love during the Tang dynasty. Sometimes halves of mirrors were placed in the hands of wives and husbands at their funerals so they could find each other in the afterlife by matching the halves. The lion and grapevine patterns on this mirror emerge from Manichaeism, which came to China from Persia via the trade routes. Manichaeism synthesized elements of several religions, including ancient Mediterranean religions, Christianity, and Buddhism. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 14 Unidentified artist Chinese, Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) Model of a Storehouse earthenware with green glaze Gift of Smith Freeman, 2008.42.3 The objects buried in Chinese tombs were meant to furnish the deceased with the things they would need in the afterlife. Along with a storehouse, tombs often included models of animals, entertainers, and vessels for wine and food to make the afterlife more hospitable. In earlier periods, these objects were made of expensive materials such as bronze and other precious metals, but during the Han dynasty, people increasingly substituted ceramic models. This change deterred looters from robbing the tombs. The traces of green glaze covering this storehouse was a typical glaze used for funerary items during the Han dynasty. In its current state, the glaze appears iridescent, an effect that came from contact with the soil. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 15 Unidentified artist Chinese, northern China, Yangshao culture Water Jar, c. 2200 BCE painted earthenware The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 90.39 The Western Yangshao culture thrived in the Yellow River Valley (in modernday Gansu province) from 3300 – 1800 BCE. The swirling black lines with red and white details on this jar are typical of the Banshan period of that culture (2800 – 2300 BCE). Earthenware is a type of clay made of fine rock sediment that has undergone minimal purification after it has been mined. Its characteristic red color comes from iron oxide impurities in the clay. Water jars were made for funerary purposes, and they were decorated only on their top portion because they were partially buried in a tomb. The white dots may represent eggs, symbolizing fertility, and by extension, life after death. This jar was made with the coiling method, in which potters layered long coils of clay on top of each other, and then smoothed the joins between the layers before they fired the pots. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 16 Unidentified artist Chinese, Neolithic, late Dawenkou or Longshan culture (c. 2800 – 1500 BCE) Long-stemmed Goblet burnished earthenware Gift of the Rubin-Ladd Foundation, 2013.3.1 Black earthenware vessels like this are characteristic of the Longshan culture, centered in what is now Shandong province in China. The potter’s wheel appeared in China around 3000 BCE (about the same time that it was first used in Egypt) just before the earlier period of the Dawenkou culture. The extremely thin walls of vessels like these probably could not have been achieved without the wheel. There are traces of brownish-gray material on the exterior and especially on the interior of this goblet, presumably the result of having been buried in the earth. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 17 Unidentified artist Chinese, late Shang dynasty (c. 1600 – c. 1050 BCE), Anyang period (1300 – 1028 BCE) Drinking Vessel (Gu), c. 1100 BCE bronze Ackland Fund, 60.13.1 This bronze drinking vessel was likely used for ritual offerings of wine. It dates from the Shang dynasty, the oldest known Chinese dynasty. It was found at Anyang, which was the site of the Shang capital starting in 1100 BCE. The decoration suggests a funerary function: the long, leaf-like forms on the upper portion of the vessel are actually cicadas, which symbolize transformation and rebirth, and the animal masks on the lower portion, known as taotie, are tomb guardian spirits. Bronze was held in high esteem in the Shang dynasty because it produced harder tools and could take on more complex shapes and decoration than copper alone. This was one of the first Asian objects in the Ackland’s collection, purchased in 1960 from an auction by the Chapel Hill Friends Meeting. Its sale helped to fund the construction of their current Meeting House. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 18 Unidentified artist Chinese, Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) Storage Jar (Hu) red earthenware with molded decoration and amber glaze Gift of Smith Freeman, 2009.26.5 This jar was probably used to store ale made from millet, the primary cereal crop in China. During the Han dynasty, the potter’s craft became more standardized than in previous centuries. This storage jar’s regular form and the high relief decoration on its shoulders are evidence of the ceramic industry’s increasing maturity in this period. The deeply-carved frieze on the jar’s shoulder includes tigers, bears, a dragon, a horse, a mountain sprite, and taotie masks with ring handles. The animals and the mountain sprite figure may suggest that this frieze was meant to depict the Isles of the Blessed, the paradise of Daoism, a religion that was growing in importance during the Han dynasty. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 19 Unidentified artist Chinese, Eastern Han dynasty (25 – 220 CE) Hill Jar, 1st – 2nd century earthenware with molded decoration and green glaze Ackland Fund, 88.28ab In the Han dynasty, hill jars made in bronze functioned as wine-warming vessels for use in daily life. Hill jars made in earthenware like this one (called boshan lu), were models of wine-warming vessels. They were set in tombs for use by the deceased in the afterlife, often accompanied by a heating tray, ladles, and cups. Around the body of the jar a continuous frieze depicts animals and fairies running in stylized hills. Two molded mask-and-ring handles indicate where real handles may have been placed on a bronze hill jar. The tripod feet are squatting rabbits. On the jar’s cover is a mountain range in which humans on horses and oxen hunt tigers, monkeys, oxen, and birds. The green glaze was made with lead and therefore poisonous. Congealed drops of glaze on the very top of the mountains show that the lid to this hill jar was fired upside down, probably inside the vessel itself in order to save kiln space. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 20 Unidentified artist Chinese, Eastern Han dynasty (25 – 220 CE) Amphora, 2nd-3rd century black burnished earthenware with bronze fittings Gift of Smith Freeman, 2009.26.10 Amphoras like this one, known as lifan, are unique in the history of Chinese ceramics, with forms and decoration distinct from other types of pottery. Very few lifan amphoras like this one are on public display. The name lifan derives from the district of Sichuan province, Lifan, where archeologists discovered ceramics of this type. The geometric forms may have been designed to recall metalware; the sixteen studs decorating the surface show traces of a thin bronze overlay, which would have shone brightly against the black surface of the vessel. The studs at the center of the circular designs on the belly resemble eyes. The practical, sturdy handles suggest that this amphora was used in everyday life, perhaps as a pouring vessel for fine grains. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 21 Unidentified artist Chinese, Yuezhou, Zhejiang province; Eastern Jin dynasty (317 – 420 CE) Chicken-head Ewer, 4th century glazed stoneware, Deqing ware Gift of F. Eunice and Herbert F. Shatzman, 2003.28.1 This chicken-head ewer comes from the Deqing kilns, located in modern Zhejiang province. Potters working at the Deqing kilns were the earliest to develop brown and black glazed pottery. The ewer is made of stoneware, which is a finer clay than earthenware. Stoneware was valued because it is chip-resistant and watertight even without glaze. To achieve the deep brown color, potters used twice as much iron oxide as they did when making green glazes. Glazes with so much iron oxide were notoriously difficult to control, however, and many of the early examples are mottled and streaked. This ewer’s glaze was applied very thickly to create its rich color and lustrous surface. The spout shaped like a rooster’s head derives from the ancient Chinese practice of sealing a pledge by drinking wine mixed with rooster’s blood. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 22 Unidentified artist Chinese, Tang dynasty (618 – 907 CE) Jar painted earthenware Gift of Charles Millard in honor of Eunice and Herbert Shatzman, 2002.27 This jar is a rare example of Tang dynasty ceramics that were painted but unglazed; such vessels were also made during the first through third centuries, in the late Han dynasty. The foliate decoration on this jar may have been derived from the patterns of Persian textiles. Many Persians fled to China after the fall of the Sasanian empire (224 – 651 CE). Chinese art and culture in this time period often reflected the influence of the many foreign peoples with whom the Chinese were in contact. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 23 Unidentified artist Chinese, Tang dynasty (618 – 907 CE) Tripod Vessel (Fu) earthenware with three-color (sancai) lead glaze The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 90.38 The glaze on this vessel is called sancai, which means three color in Chinese. Ceramics with sancai glaze were highly fashionable during the Tang dynasty and used by elite families as funerary objects to emulate items used in their daily lives. The patterns in sancai glazes were inspired by the textiles of Central Asia, which became popular in Chinese cities as the rulers of the Tang dynasty expanded their empire westward and developed trade relationships with other countries. The distinctive coloring results in part from the clay, which has a very low iron content and turns white instead of red after firing. The iron oxide and copper oxide in the glazes fire red and green, respectively. Potters splashed the two glazes on the vessel knowing that they would run and blend to produce a range of hues. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 24 Unidentified artist Chinese, Changsha region, Hunan province; late Tang dynasty (618 – 907 CE) or early Five Dynasties period (907 – 960 CE) Ewer with Bird Decoration, 10th century stoneware with celadon-type glaze and iron oxide decoration Spain Purchase Fund, 96.6 This ewer was made in Hunan province, at the Changsha kilns, which were famous for producing stoneware of this type. Changsha wares, with their coarse clay and simple forms were made for everyday use by ordinary people. The bird depicted on this ewer may be a red-billed leiothrix, which always flies in pairs and takes one mate for life, symbolizing marital happiness. Changsha potters were the first to decorate ceramics by painting directly on the clay with iron oxide and covering the entire vessel with celadon glaze. The painted scenes on vessels like this were intended to beautify an otherwise inexpensive piece. Changsha wares have been unearthed in Korea, Japan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Iran, and Egypt. Some of these ceramics have been painted with sayings in Arabic, indicating that they were produced for export. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 25 Zhang Family Chinese, Song dynasty (960 – 1279 CE) Pillow, 12th century stoneware, white and dark brown slip, colorless glaze Ackland Fund, 88.30 Ceramic pillows like this one were typically used for burial, though the living sometimes slept on them as well. A stamp on the bottom of this pillow reads: “Zhang family pillow.” It indicates that the famous Zhang family of potters made it at an ancient Cizhou kiln site in northern China’s Hebei province. The Zhang family worked there for over three hundred years. There was a tradition in Chinese ceramics of painting colored designs on porcelain that had first been dipped in white slip (diluted clay). In this technique, the artist draws with a brush as though he were working on paper, using just a few quick brushstrokes to convey the spirit of the subject. The crane design is associated with luck because it adorned the robes of officials who had risen to high levels. The bamboo denotes both strength and luck because it can bend without breaking. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 26 Unidentified artist Chinese, Northern Song dynasty (960 – 1127 CE) or Jin (Golden Tartars) dynasty (1115 – 1234 CE) Ribbed Jar with Two Handles, 12th century glazed stoneware, Cizhou-type ware Gift of F. Eunice and Herbert F. Shatzman, 2003.28.10 This ribbed jar is a classic Cizhou type that was produced at various kilns in Hebei and Henan provinces, based on evidence from archeological finds. The term Cizhou applies to stoneware produced at kilns in these northern provinces during this time period. Although potters sometimes carved ribs into the moist clay surface, they usually applied them onto the surface of the vessel in slip (clay thinned with water) before applying the dark glaze. During firing the glaze pulled away from the ribs, leaving them exposed and resulting in a striking contrast of delicate white lines against a glossy black background. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 27 Unidentified artist Chinese, Northern Song dynasty (960 – 1127 CE) or Southern Song dynasty (1127 – 1279 CE) Pie (Conical) Tea Bowl with Hare’s-fur Glaze, 12th or 13th century glazed stoneware, Jian ware Gift of F. Eunice and Herbert F. Shatzman, 2003.28.17 Tea bowls like this were made by the Jian kilns and intended both for popular consumption and for use in Buddhist monasteries. Tea drinking had become a common practice to help the monks stay awake during meditation. This shape developed from tea bowls that were popular in preceding centuries when people drank tea mixed with other ingredients such as scallions, jujubes, and ginger. The trumpet shaped mouth facilitated drinking the various solid ingredients in the tea. The glaze technique is called hare’s fur, characterized by streaks that ranged in color from yellowish to russet to silver. Creating this effect relied on the combination of an iron-rich clay, from which the bowl was made, with a glaze possibly made of the same clay mixed with wood ash. Potters glazed the bowls fully on the interior but only partially on the exterior, and fired them right side up. As the glaze melted, gravity pulled it downward to accumulate in a thick glassy pool in the bottom of the vessel’s interior, while on the exterior a thick roll formed above the base, sometimes along with glassy drips that stopped short of the base. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 28 Unidentified artist Chinese, Northern Song dynasty (960 – 1127 CE) or Southern Song dynasty (1127 – 1279 CE) Tea Bowl with Tortoiseshell Glaze, 12th or 13th century glazed stoneware, Jizhou ware Gift of F. Eunice and Herbert F. Shatzman, 2003.28.27 Jizhou wares were made at kilns in Jiangxi province, which was known as Jizhou during the time this bowl was made. The tortoiseshell glaze on this tea bowl was an innovation of the Southern Song dynasty. Potters applied wood or bamboo ash on top of the glaze; during the firing the ash melted into the dark glazes to yield varied effects like this. Jizhou tortoiseshell bowls were admired for the way they brightened the light color of the tea served in them. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 29 Unidentified artist Chinese, Jin (Golden Tartars) dynasty (1115 – 1234 CE) Bowl with Decoration of Russet Stripes, 12th or 13th century glazed stoneware, Cizhou-type ware Gift of F. Eunice and Herbert F. Shatzman, 2003.28.54 This bowl came from northern China during the period when the Jin controlled the area. Vessels like this one, with streaked and russet patterns, were staples of Jin dynasty wares. The stripes were applied swiftly so that they vary in length, strength, and spacing. There are seven strokes on the inside of the bowl and exactly three times as many on the outside, but there is no rigid correlation between those in the inside and those on the outside – it as though the numerical relationship emerged by accident. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 30 Unidentified artist Chinese, Southern Song dynasty (1127 – 1279 CE) or Yuan dynasty (1279 – 1368 CE) Small Jar with Willow-basket Decoration, 13th or 14th century glazed stoneware, Ganzhou ware Gift of F. Eunice and Herbert F. Shatzman, 2003.28.46 Jars like this are often called Ganzhou ware, and they were made at kilns in the Jizhou region. They were most popular in the Southern Song period but were also made in the Yuan dynasty. The globular shape, straight neck, and rolled lip are typical of this type of jar, as are the russet glaze on the interior and lip and the unglazed exterior. The exterior decoration was made with finely combed lines that suggest basket weave patterns. The raised white dots that resemble a string of pearls were made with white glaze. This type of vessel is often called a rice measure, though the exact function is not known. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 31 Unidentified artist Chinese, Henan province; Northern Song dynasty (960 – 1127 CE) Tea Bowl and Stand, 11th century glazed stoneware, Cizhou-type ware Gift of F. Eunice and Herbert F. Shatzman, 2003.28.2ab As early as the Tang dynasty (618 – 907 CE), potters paired tea bowls with stands, which allowed tea drinkers to hold a vessel filled with hot tea more easily. It is rare, however, for a pair to have survived intact. This tea bowl and stand were created at the Cizhou kilns in Henan province. Made of stoneware, they are sturdier than fine porcelain ceramics. The reddishbrown color of the clay is visible along the rim of the cup and at the base of the stand, where the glaze has pulled away. The subtle, mottled silver pattern on the surface of these two objects was probably caused by excess iron oxide in the glaze, which crystallized on the surface during firing. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 32 Unidentified artist Chinese, Southern Song dynasty (1127 – 1279 CE) Stem Cup and Cup Stand glazed porcelain, yingqing ware Gift of Smith Freeman, 2009.26.2 The subtle blue undertone of the glaze on this stem cup and stand was intended to mimic the color and texture of bluish-white jade. The term for this type of object is qingbai, later called yingqing, which translates as shadow-blue. To achieve this effect, potters added a small amount of ferrous oxide to the glaze and then fired the ceramics in a reduction (oxygen-starved) atmosphere. Qingbai wares were made at the Jingdezhen dragon kilns in southern China’s Jiangxi province, so called because the long kilns snaked over hillsides like dragons’ bodies. Large dragon kilns could fire nearly 10,000 vessels at one time. To prevent the delicate walls of these vessels from warping during firing, they were fired upside down in the kilns. This practice explains the slightly rough quality of the cup’s rim. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 33 Unidentified artist Chinese, Northern Song dynasty (960 – 1127 CE) Conical Bowl, 11th – 12th century glazed porcelaneous stoneware, yaozhou ware Gift of the Ackland Associates, 87.13 This bowl was made at the Yaozhou kilns in northern China, which operated for over 800 years. They were particularly active in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, when they were well known for producing celadon wares like this bowl. The leaf patterns on this bowl are delicate and sharp suggesting that they were incised by hand. Later the Yaozhou kilns replaced labor intensive freehand carving with the more economical method of applying design molds to the clay. Yaozhou wares were a global commodity, traded with Korea and Japan, western Asia, and the east coast of Africa. They included many different kinds of utilitarian objects and over 200 different decorative motifs. The celadon glaze on Yaozhou wares was applied so that it pooled and darkened in the recesses of the design, heightening the effect of three-dimensional relief. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 34 Unidentified artist Chinese, Zhejiiang province; Southern Song dynasty (1127 – 1279 CE) Small Dish, probably 13th century porcelaneous stoneware with bluishgreen glaze, Longquan celadon ware Gift of Lena J. Stewart, 91.167 The distinctive blue-green glaze of this dish identifies it as Longquan celadon, a type of stoneware long prized for its curious capacity to make an opaque vessel seem almost transparent. The celadon glaze was applied in several thick layers to mimic the texture and color of good quality jade. Located in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, the Longquan kilns produced ceramics for over 1,600 years, longer than any other kiln complex in Chinese history. Longquan potters developed the signature celadon glaze, considered the height of Chinese celadon achievement, during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The term celadon is a European invention. Ceramics connoisseurs in Europe may have derived it from seventeenth-century French pastoral comedy, whose hero Celadon wore a similar color of green. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 35 Unidentified artist Chinese, Yuan dynasty (1279 – 1368 CE) Covered Box with Mouse Decoration, c. 1300 porcelain, yingqing ware Ackland Fund, 91.140ab This covered box was probably made in the early years of the Yuan dynasty, when Kublai Khan united all of China under Mongol rule. Khan chose to establish the Yuan imperial kiln at the Jingdezhen porcelain center, which long had been famous for its bluish-white (yingqing) wares. Yingqing vessels, with their subtle blue undertones, were the precursors to the coveted blue and white wares of the Ming dynasty. They were made from kaolin clay combined with petuntse, a variety of feldspar, and covered with a translucent blue glaze. The mouse on top of this box may refer to the first of the twelve animal signs of the Chinese zodiac, the mouse or rat. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 36 Unidentified artist Chinese, Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911 CE), Yongzheng reign (1723 – 1735 CE) Stem Cup porcelain with incised decoration under yellow glaze Gift of Eunice and Herbert Shatzman in honor of Sherman Lee, 97.27 Inside the stem of this cup is a blue reign mark that reads: “made during the Yongzheng reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.” Emperor Yongzheng ruled from 1723 to 1735, during which time he avidly supported imperial ceramics, even funneling surplus government funds to the kilns. During the Qing dynasty, the variety and quality of monochrome glazes greatly increased. This stem cup was clearly made for imperial use, as yellow was the royal color of the Qing dynasty. The incised decoration depicts stylized lotus flowers, which in Buddhism symbolize purity and the expansion of the soul. This was a fitting choice because the royal family was Buddhist. This porcelain cup is displayed upside down so that it is possible to view both the reign mark and the delicate incised decoration on the vessel’s surface. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 37 Unidentified artist Chinese, Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911 CE), Kangxi reign (1662 – 1722 CE) Bottle-shaped Vase, c. 1700 porcelain with underglaze decoration in cobalt blue Gift of Herbert and Eunice Shatzman in honor of Ruth and Sherman Lee, 99.22.1 Demand for blue and white porcelain was immense both in China and abroad. Judging by the motif near the bottom of this vase, however, it was likely intended for Chinese patrons. The motif is a stylized depiction of a treasure vase, which symbolizes long life and wealth. It is one of what are called the Eight Auspicious Objects of Buddhism. Though the Chinese had been making some form of blue and white pottery for centuries, vessels made during the reign of Emperor Kangxi in the Qing dynasty were particular prized for their rich, sapphire-blue hues. The cobalt used to make the blue underglaze was imported from Iran. Contact with Islamic regions might account for some of the stylistic characteristics of the decorations. Some of the forms in the frieze on the vase’s shoulder resemble inverted ogee arches. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 38 Unidentified artist Chinese, Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644 CE), Xuande reign (1426 – 1435 CE) Dish porcelain with red glaze Gift of Herbert and Eunice Shatzman in honor of Ruth and Sherman Lee, 98.26 This red monochrome glazed porcelain dish is a rare example of the rich copper red glaze made during the Ming dynasty. Only a few dozen known red vessels like it survive in the world. The red color came from adding colloidal copper particles to transparent glaze. It was notoriously difficult to produce successful red-glazed wares – too little copper in the glaze left it colorless, but too much resulted in a mottled, muddy brown color. Thus, evenly-colored vessels like this one were highly prized. The white lip around the edge is the result of the size and weight of the copper particles: when the glaze boiled in the kiln, the particles slid down, leaving no pigment on the highest point in the dish. The blue reign mark on the back of the dish dates it to the reign of the Xuande emperor, which began in 1426. During his tenure, the Court of Imperial Entertainments employed thousands of chefs, and the ceramics most often produced were vessels for food and drink: bowls, plates, cups, and dishes. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 39 Unidentified artist Chinese, Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911 CE), Kangxi reign (1661 – 1722 CE) Plate, c. 1700 porcelain with multi-colored glaze Gift of Herbert and Eunice Shatzman in honor of Ruth and Sherman Lee, 99.22.2 There were many trends in porcelain decoration during the Kangxi reign. They included: famille rose (mainly pink decoration), tou-ts’ai (contrasting color decoration), wu-ts’ai (underglaze blue with multi-color decoration), and famille verte (mainly green decoration). This plate can be classified as famille verte. The motifs decorating this plate are all symbols of wisdom and luxury, including exotic birds and animals, plants in ornate pots and stands, and books tied in ribbon. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 40 Unidentified artist Chinese, Tang dynasty (618 – 907 CE) Bodhisattva, 7th century limestone The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 97.17 Bodhisattvas are usually depicted adorned with jewels and lavish drapery unlike the Buddha, who is shown without personal adornment. This bodhisattva shows the impact of Indian art on Chinese sculpture with its sinuous posture, gracefully curving drapery folds, and long strands of jewels. It is a classic example of Tang dynasty Buddhist sculpture. There was a major persecution of Buddhism in China in the ninth century because it had originated outside China, and many Buddhist sculptures were damaged or destroyed. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 41 Unidentified artist Chinese, Northern Qi dynasty (550 – 577 CE) Head of a Bodhisattva limestone Ackland Fund, 91.65 This figure’s flowering crown with ribbons hanging from each side is typical of Chinese bodhisattva images from the second half of the sixth century. Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who, out of compassion, forgo nirvana (release from earthly existence) in order to help others reach enlightenment. This figure may represent Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, who was revered in China under the name of Guanyin. In the period when it was made, elaborately adorned figural sculptures like this one coincided with a growing devotion to Avalokiteshvara. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 42 Unidentified artist Chinese, Yuan dynasty (1279 – 1368 CE) Monumental Head of a Lohan, 14th century wood, cloth fragments Gift of the Tyche Foundation, 2010.30 Lohan is the Chinese term for the Sanskrit word arhat, which in Buddhism indicates someone who has put an end to all desires and attained spiritual enlightenment. Lohans are considered peaceful guardians and are often included in temples either in sculpture or painted form. This lohan from the fourteenth century has a prominent forehead, furrowed brow, and intense gaze, emphasizing his monklike austerity, concentration, and religious commitment. These features also suggest the openness to foreign artistic influences under Mongol rule in the Yuan dynasty. At the beginning of the Yuan dynasty, Kublai Khan reunited all of China under Mongol rule, incorporating it into an empire that extended westward as far as modern Hungary and Poland. This brought Chinese artists in contact with a variety of artistic influences. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 43 Unidentified artist Chinese, Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644 CE) Zhenwu glazed ceramic, Cizhou ware Gift of Susan and Robert Otterbourg, 2007.20.3 Zhenwu, one of the most important deities in Daoism, appears in human form accompanied by a tortoise and snake. This imagery developed from an earlier emblem that consisted of a tortoise entwined with a snake without a human figure. Zhenwu is recognizable by his long, unbound hair and bare feet, as well as by the armor beneath his robes. The armor underscores his role as a martial god, while the long hair and bare feet refer to a long spiritual retreat he made to Mount Wudang in Hubei. He eventually became known as a protector of the state and imperial family. Imperial sponsorship of Zhenwu reached its peak during the Ming dynasty; the third Ming emperor credited Zhenwu with helping him seize the throne. Small statues like this one, made for personal worship, were common in the Ming dynasty. They were usually made from porcelain, although sometimes also from more costly materials like bronze and gold. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 44 Unidentified artist Chinese, Yuan dynasty (1279 – 1368 CE) or Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644 CE) Head of Guanyin, Bodhisattva of Mercy gilded and painted cast iron Ackland Fund, 88.29 Devotion to Guanyin, Bodhisattva of Mercy, developed in China during the third through sixth centuries. Traditionally Guanyin was depicted as a man in Chinese art, but during the Song dynasty (960 – 1279 CE), the bodhisattva was reimagined as a female. The curls, continuous eyebrow, elongated ears, and the curve of the eyelids are typical of the Ming dynasty representations of Guanyin, but the head and crown resemble the style of earlier periods. The elaborate crown was cast separately from the rest of the head. It is adorned with stylized lotus blossoms, which are usually also held in the hand of Guanyin. The small seated figure at the top of the crown is Amitabha, the Buddha of the Western Paradise and central figure of a form of Buddhist practice known as Pure Land Buddhism. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 45 Unidentified artist Chinese, Five Dynasties period (907 – 960 CE) Seated Bodhisattva with Peony Scrolled Mandorla, 10th century bronze with traces of red (cinnabar) pigment Gift of Clara T. and Gilbert J. Yager and Ackland Fund, 92.22 This bodhisattva sits on a lotus blossom. His left hand holds a bowl and his right hand forms the “fear not” mudra, or gesture. He originally wore a crown (it is now missing), and he wears a necklace, standard iconography identifying him as a bodhisattva and not a buddha. The open lotus blossom above the bodhisattva’s head symbolizes the compassionate nature of the Buddha. The large double halo is surrounded with ornate floral lattice work represents the flames of Buddhist knowledge. He wears several layers of loose drapery, belted and knotted high on the torso. The drapery, which covers the figure’s body, is typical of tenth-century northern Chinese bodhisattvas. At this time, Chinese sculptors relied less on Indian influences in making Buddhist images and relied more on Chinese ideas. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 46 Unidentified artist Chinese, Late Tang dynasty (618 – 907 CE) or Five dynasties period (907 – 960 CE); or Yuan dynasty (1279 – 1368 CE) Demon, 10th or 14th century gilt bronze Ackland Fund, 92.25 As the information on this object’s label suggests, the Ackland is not certain when this Buddhist image of a demon was made or specifically what it represents. If it is from the tenth century, it may have been made in the later Tang dynasty or the period known as the Five dynasties period. Beginning in the early part of the Tang dynasty, many artists revived stylistic features of earlier periods. This demon’s broad face and plump body are examples of that revival. It is possible that the figure was part of an altar group. It could be an attendant or guardian of the deity Chung Kuei, called the Demon Queller. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 47 Unidentified artist Japanese, Kamakura period (1185 – 1333 CE) Bishamonten, c. 1300 painted wood with additions in metal and crystal The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, Purchased in memory of Chancellor Michael K. Hooker, 2000.7 The four guardian kings protect the four quarters of the cosmos and their images, trampling on vanquished demons, may be stationed at the four corners of an altar with a sculpture of the Buddha in the middle. Bishamonten is the Japanese name for the king of the north, the chief of the four guardians. He is also considered the protector of warriors and the state. The inlaid crystal eyes and flaming halo enhance his fierce expression. His dynamic posture and swirling draperies seem to contain reserves of stored energy. Bishamonten carries a stupa, a symbol of the Buddhist faith in his left hand and in his right hand, he originally carried a lance (which is now missing). Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 48 Unidentified artist Japanese, Late Heian period (898 – 1185 CE) Standing Buddha, c. 12th century wood Gift of Ruth and Sherman Lee, 2003.35.4 Originally, this standing Buddha was attached to a wooden panel, which may have been a large round or oval mandorla. The artist uses the drapery’s curving, nearly parallel lines to define the figure’s torso and each limb, so that the clothing seems to cling to his body. Judging by the placement of the figure’s left arm, his original left hand was in the boon-granting gesture (or mudra) and the missing right hand in the “fear not” mudra. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 52 Nishida Jun Japanese, 1977 – 2005 Clay sculpture with embedded tubes #11, c. 2001-05 porcelaneous stoneware, porcelain, feldspar, and powdered glaze Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz Collection, L2014.1.1 Nishida Jun had already become a force in the world of contemporary Japanese ceramics by the time of his death at age twenty-eight. This sculpture is slip-casted with hand-built tubes saturated and enclosed by a thick application of white glaze and fired at a high temperature. During the firing process, the outside glaze rose in temperature at a different rate from the cooler center of the object. As a result, the glaze spilled over, melted, morphed, yet preserved the crisp tube structures underneath. 1977: Born in Osaka, Japan 2000: BFA in Ceramics, Kyoto Seika University, Kyoto, Japan, first solo exhibition Dojidai Gallery, Kyoto 2002: MFA in Ceramics, Kyoto Seika University 2005: Died on 26 March in Bali in an accident while building a kiln Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 57 Shiro Tsujimura Japanese, born 1947 Tea Bowl, 2003 stoneware with hikidashi-guro glaze Ackland Fund, 2004.4.1 In the sixteenth century, the tea master Sen no Rikyu expressed a preference for tea bowls made by local potters in traditional ancient kiln styles with simple designs and imperfections, prompting a significant change in Japanese tea ceramics. He considered the Chinese porcelain wares favored by the nobility to be ostentatious. Many contemporary ceramic artists like Tsujimura create tea bowls in a variety of glaze styles. The one on this bowl, called hikidashi-guro (pulled out black), was a favorite of Sen no Rikyu. Tsujimura has said that a tea bowl should perfectly match a guest’s personality. As with individual people, the beauty of his tea bowls is not in their perfection, but instead in their individual flaws. 1947: Born in Gosei, Nara Prefecture 1965: Went to Tokyo to study oil painting but decided to focus on pottery 1966-68: Resided at Sanshoji, a zen temple in Nara 1968: Began making pottery 1970: Moved to Mima, Nara City Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 58 Yamada Kazu Japanese, born 1954 “Dancing Fire” Tea Bowl, 2013 earthenware, Shino ware Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz Collection, L2013.25.10 Yamada Kazu’s tea bowl is not only something to be held, but also something to be contemplated, while watching the illusion of dancing along the tea bowl as if it came right out of the flames of the kiln. Tea bowls have long been an important part of Japanese culture. Since the Momoyama period (1573 – 1615 CE), they have served as symbols of status and taste for the upper classes of society. They are judged on a combination of shape, weight, and aesthetic appearance. There is a Japanese proverb that states: “If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty.” 1954: Born in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture 1978: Turned away from making ceramic sculptures towards more traditional forms Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 59 Shiro Tsujimura Japanese, born 1947 Small Jar, 2003 stoneware with wood-ash glaze Ackland Fund, 2004.4.2 Tsujimura is an entirely self-taught artist who recreates functional ceramics in traditional Japanese styles. The bubbles on this small jar come from the extreme heat of the kiln and enliven its surface. In the kiln, the wood ash spread over the jar in an unpredictable way, producing beautiful imperfections and enhancing the effect of spontaneity. Shiro Tsujimura initially wanted to study oil painting, but he was inspired to make ceramics instead after seeing a tea bowl at the Japan Folk Crafts Museum. 1947: Born in Gosei, Nara Prefecture 1965: Went to Tokyo to study oil painting but decided to focus on pottery 1966-68: Resided at Sanshoji, a zen temple in Nara 1968: Began making pottery 1970: Moved to Mima, Nara City Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 60 Koie Ryoji Japanese, born 1938 Jar, 2005 stoneware, Oribe ware Promised Gift of Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz, L2014.17 Koie fired this vessel upside down, creating great pools of green glaze that cover the interior of the jar and give the effect of a swirling tidal pool full of depth and energy. This functional jar is typical of the visual and material characteristics of his work. He scored the bare pottery with jumbled lines, applied expressionistic brushstrokes, and then covered the surface with a thick green glaze. Tokonome, where this artist was born, is one of the six ancient kiln sites of Japan. Koie is known as a radical artist and in some of his works he makes overt political commentary, for example in works like No More Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Chernobyl or in another, entitled See No Evil, Hear no Evil, Speak no Evil which was made after the events of September 11, 2001 and represents tall, breaking towers. 1938: Born in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture 1957: Received diploma from Tokoname Prefectural High School Industrial Ceramics Department and went to work at a tile manufacturing company. 1962: Became a researcher at the Tokoname Municipal Ceramics Research Institute 1966: Began making art full time Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 61 Unidentified artist Japanese, Edo period (1600 – 1868) Tea Dish, late 17th century earthenware with iron wash and green glaze decoration, Oribe ware The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 90.57 This dish is decorated with pampas grasses rendered in loose, elegant brushstrokes. In Japanese tradition, pampas grass is a symbol of autumn. Dishes with this decoration, then, would have been used for the tea ceremony during the autumn months. The term Oribe ware comes from the tea master Furuta Oribe, who was a student of Sen Rikyu. Oribe refined the tea ceremony further and expressed a preference for a warped appearance, called wabi, in tea wares. The bold surface decoration associated with Oribe wares may have come from designs on a type of cloth popular with the military class. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 62 Unidentified artist Japanese, Muromachi period (1392 – 1573) Storage Jar, 15th century stoneware with applied wood ash glaze, Tamba ware The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 91.82 This storage jar is a type of object that contemporary ceramic artists consider models for their own work. It is appreciated today – as it was in its own day – for its rugged form and the glaze effects, which result from varying the kiln temperature during firing. Originally it may have been used to hold grain or, because of the intriguing markings on its surface from the wood ash fire, it may have been appropriate for use as a water holder in the tea ceremony. Tamba is a term that refers to one of six ancient kilns in Japan: Seto, Tokoname, Shigaraki, Bizan, Echizen, and Tamba. The green glaze streak down the center of the jar is characteristic of Tamba wares. Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 63 Fukami Sueharu Japanese, born 1947 To the Sky (Sorani), 2001 porcelain with seihakuji glaze Ackland Fund, 2003.19ab Fukami is perhaps the best known contemporary Japanese ceramic artist worldwide. His characteristic light blue-green glaze recalls porcelains of the Song dynasty in China (960 – 1279 CE). This glaze is Fukami’s signature and he uses it to create both functional wares like sake cups or incense burners and grand abstract sculptures. Sorani’s streamlined form, smooth glaze, and crisp edges give it an effect of lightness, as if it is ready to take flight. Fukami uses pressure slip cast methods to make forms like this, then files them down to achieve the sharp points and sleek forms that characterize his work. 1947: Born in Kyoto 1963: Graduated from the Kyoto Ceramics Training School 1965: Graduated from the Kyoto Arts and Crafts Training Center 1981: Taught ceramics at Alberta University, Canada 1985: Won a grand prize at the International Competition of Contemporary Ceramic art in Faenza, Italy Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 64 Kondo Takahiro Japanese, born 1958 Box, 2005 porcelain with white underglaze and “silver mist” overglaze; pâte-de-verre cast glass cover Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz Collection, L2013.15.11 Kondo is from a family of well-known potters. Like his father and grandfather, he mainly works with blue and white glazes. He created a new glaze, now patented, called gintekisai. This glaze resembles a silver mist in metallic droplets of condensation on the surfaces of his porcelain objects. It is composed of platinum, gold, silver, and glass. Kondo’s rectangular box has a light blue-green glaze covered with the silvery gintekisai glaze. The fitted, solid glass top appears to have sprays of mist inside, an effect that mimics steam erupting in a solid block of ice. 1958: Born in Kyoto. 1982: Graduated from the Literature Department, Hôsei University 1985: Completed training at Kyoto Ceramics Training School 1986: Completed training at Kyoto Industrial Research Institute 2002: Earned a Masters of Design and Applied Arts degree, Edinburgh College of Art Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan 65 Nagae Shigekazu Japanese, born 1953 Object, c. 1992 porcelain with white glaze Carol and Jeffrey Horvitz Collection, L2013.25.5 Nagae fires clay at a very high heat in his gas kiln, molding the delicate porcelain into sleek, often unpredictable abstract sculptures. He embraces characteristics often seen as flaws, like warps, bends, and curves. Nagae’s ceramics are art objects rather than functional objects. This object’s visual effects are typical of his work: it is made of hard porcelain that appears soft and light, with crisp edges that seem to float. It strives to engage viewers’ visual and tactile senses. The silhouettes in Nagae’s works often suggest natural elements like wind, waves, and the landscape surrounding his hometown of Seto. 1953: Born in Seto, Aichi 1974: Completed Special Ceramic Study Course, Seto Ceramics Training Institute 1977: Lecturer at Special Pottery Study Course, Seto Ceramics Training Institute 1999: Lecturer at Bunsei Art College 2002: Joined the International Academy of Ceramics in Geneva, Switzerland Ackland Art Museum Art of China and Japan