H x W x D: 5.6 × 2 × 1 cm (2 3/16 × 13/16 × 3/8 in)
Type:
Jewelry and Ornament
Origin:
Anyang, probably Henan province, China
Date:
ca. 1250-1050 BCE
Period:
Late Shang dynasty, Anyang period
Description:
Fish pendant of thin, tannish gray material. Curved in form, with incut to mark transition between dorsal fin and splayed, bifurcated tail. Diagonal striations indicate fins. Pairs of ventral fins, one of which is chipped, extend at right angles to the body of the fish. Biconical perforation. One of a pair with F1979.26.
Provenance:
From 1923-25
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased by Carl Whiting Bishop’s assistant, Dong Guangzhong in China. [1]
Note:
[1] See Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List after 1920 file, Collections Management Office. The object was transferred from the Freer Study Collection (Bishop Collection) to the permanent collection on August 8, 1974. Also see Curatorial Remark 2 in the object record.
Collection:
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Exhibition History:
Anyang: China's Ancient City of Kings (February 25, 2023 to April 28, 2024)
