Object Details
Description
A horned owl is depicted quite realistically except for the volute and triangle design decor on the wings. (Many chips/discrepancies in uniformity [ancient?]; deteriorated veins filled with soil and spots of cinnabar.)
(Jenny F. So, October 18, 1996) A standing horned owl is carved and decorated on both sides. Its wings hug the body tightly to form a taut columnar shape. Claws are seen in the front, and the back is decorated to show wings and tail. Double incised volutes and curls follow the bird's wings and body descriptively. Turquoise, surface deteriorated and filled with earthy remains; carved.
Provenance
To 1959
Abel William Bahr (1877-1959), Shanghai, China, London, England, Montreal, Canada, New York, NY, and Ridgefield, Connecticut
[1]
From 1963 to 1987
Dr. Arthur M. Sackler, New York, purchased from the Bahr Collection in 1963 [2]
From 1987
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, gift of Dr. Arthur M. Sackler on September 11, 1987 [3]
Notes:
[1] According to information provided by the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, October 9, 2009.
[2] See #344:
"Turquoise standing owl," on list provided by the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, October 9, 2009, copy in object file.
[3] Pursuant to the agreement between Dr. Arthur M. Sackler and the Smithsonian Institution, dated July 28, 1982, legal title of the donated objects was transferred to the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery on September 11, 1987.
Collection
Arthur M. Sackler Collection
Exhibition History
Anyang: China's Ancient City of Kings (February 25, 2023 to April 28, 2024)
Chinese Jade Animals (April 19 to July 14, 1996)
The Arts of China (November 18, 1990 to September 7, 2014)
Ancient Chinese Bronzes and Jades (October 1, 1989 - September 10, 1990)
In Praise of Ancestors: Ritual Objects from China (September 28, 1987 to January 1, 1989)
Previous custodian or owner
Abel William Bahr (1877-1959)
Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913-1987)
Credit Line
Gift of Arthur M. Sackler
Date
ca. 1250-ca. 1050 BCE
Period
Late Shang dynasty, Anyang period
Accession Number
S1987.864
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Type
Sculpture
Medium
Turquoise
Dimensions
H x W x D: 6.3 × 3.4 × 1.9 cm (2 1/2 × 1 5/16 × 3/4 in)
Origin
Anyang, probably Henan province, China
Related Online Resources
Google Arts & Culture
Jades for Life and Death
See more items in
National Museum of Asian Art
Data Source
National Museum of Asian Art
Topic
bird
owl
Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty (ca. 1300 - 1050 BCE)
China
Chinese Art
Link to Original Record
Record ID
fsg_S1987.864