Luxury Goods: Gallery

China, Shaanxi province, probably Xi’an, early or mid-Tang dynasty, late 7th–early 8th century
Hammered silver with repoussé, chased, and ring-punched decoration and mercury gilding
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Freer Gallery of Art F1931.8

This is one of the finest silver objects from the Tang dynasty now in the Freer collection. With fourteen lotus petals in relief and a richly gilded surface, this bowl was assembled from three separately crafted pieces of hammered silver. The flaring wall was first created as a flat belt; after it was shaped and decorated with relief, chased, and ring-punched elements, its two ends were joined with silver solver to form a cylinder. The circular floor of the vessel—the chased decoration on the exterior is only visible when the piece is inverted—was later attached to the cylindrical ring with silver solder. The decorated foot, hammered from yet another piece of silver, was also affixed using silver solder. The joins are only faintly visible on the finished piece where corrosion has appeared along the solder lines. After assembly, elements of the decoration were further enriched with gilding that was so carefully and heavily applied it resembles inlay.

This piece is related to gilt silver bowls now in the collections of the Asia Society in New York and of the Hakutsuru Museum in Kobe, Japan. Although none of these objects has a known provenance, each can be compared to a gold bowl decorated with lotus petals that was found in the cache burial excavated at Hejiacun [linkage to an article] in Chang’an (modern Xi’an, Shaanxi province), within the Tang walled capital district. The Hejiacun bowl has been dated to the late seventh or early eighth century.

China, Shaanxi province, probably Xi’an, early Tang dynasty, late 7th century
Cast and hammered silver with chased and ring-punched decoration and mercury gilding
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Freer Gallery of Art F1930.51

Although they look like tea cups, Chinese vessels such as this resemble earlier Sogdian gilt silver and gilt bronze wine cups. Their purpose is subtly suggested by the grapevine motif on the cup’s surface. Surprisingly, the cup appears to have been made using two different shaping techniques. The body, bottom, and foot were hammered from separate silver sheets that were soldered together, but the handle seems to have been cast. Although cups of this type frequently have handles of this design, this one is unusually large and elaborate. Consequently, some scholars think the handle could be a modern addition.

China, Shaanxi province, probably Xi’an, early or mid-Tang dynasty, late 7th–early 8th century
Cast bronze with chased and ring-punched decoration and mercury gilding
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Freer Gallery of Art F1911.70

This small gilt bronze stem cup is virtually identical to a gilt silver example from the cache burial of silver and gold vessels found at Hejiacun [linkage to an article] in Chang’an (modern Xi’an, Shaanxi province), within the Tang walled capital district. This cup is cast, not hammered, and its base metal is bronze, not silver, which made it less expensive to produce. The decoration on the surface was not cast but chased after the cup was removed from its mold. This method of decoration, commonly practiced by silversmiths in the West, was not a traditional technique used in Chinese foundries.

China, mid-Tang dynasty, 8th century
Cast silver with chased and ring-punched decoration
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Freer Gallery of Art F1929.16

This unique cup is unlike other silver objects in the Freer collection that resemble pieces scientifically excavated in China or housed in museums. The shape of the wide but shallow cavity is not foliated, the decorative floral scroll is continuous around the circumference, and the conical stem of the foot is attached directly to the bottom of the container without a transitional element. In addition, the foot and container are joined with lead solder, unlike prevailing Tang examples that are attached with silver solder. Consequently, some scholars think it may have been reworked in modern times, or it might be a forgery.

China, Shaanxi province, probably Xi’an, mid-Tang dynasty, early 8th century
Cast, hammered, and turned silver with chased and ring-punched decoration and mercury gilding
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Freer Gallery of Art F1931.17a-b

This object is not gold but rather gilt silver. The entire surface of the finished piece was heavily gilded after the decoration was chased into it, filling the recessed lines with gold and making it look as if it was fabricated from that more costly material.

China, Shaanxi province, probably Xi’an, early or mid-Tang dynasty, late 7th–early 8th century
Cast and hammered silver with chased and ring-punched decoration and leaf gilding
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Freer Gallery of Art F1930.39a-b

Beginning in the Tang dynasty, natural subjects appear with increasing frequency in Chinese decorative arts. In the case of this small box, the tendency acquires an additional narrative character since the melon is combined with a rodent poised to take a bite of its delicious flesh. The naturalism that inspired the design of the box and its knob does not extend to the surface decoration, however, which features grapes and grapevines, not melon vines. Surprisingly, the elements finished in gold were created with leaf gilding, not mercury gilding. Since it is thought that leaf gilding was not used in China until the Song dynasty (960–1279), this object may be somewhat later than long believed.

China, Shaanxi province, probably Xi’an, early or mid-Tang dynasty, late 7th–early 8th century
Cast and hammered silver with chased and ring-punched decoration and mercury gilding
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Freer Gallery of Art F1930.50

This box quite realistically takes the form of a clamshell, with its two separately cast halves hinged together. Several similar pieces have inner liners with small holes that were presumably made to contain still smaller boxes for cosmetic powders or pastes. Such exquisite make-up containers would have nicely complemented a luxurious mirror.

China, Shaanxi province, probably Xi’an, mid-Tang dynasty, early 8th century
Hammered silver with repoussé, chased, and ring-punched decoration and mercury gilding
Gift of The Honorable and Mrs. Hugh Scott
Freer Gallery of Art F1978.39a-b

China, Shaanxi province, probably Xi’an, early or mid-Tang dynasty, late 7th–early 8th century
Hammered silver with repoussé, chased, and ring-punched decoration
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Freer Gallery of Art F1944.58