Chinese Pots - I.C. Su Collection

Chinese Pots for Tabletop Gardens
Special Exhibit 2005 (May 28 thru Sept. 6)
Honoring the World Bonsai Friendship Federation
Featuring pots from the I. C. Su Collection

Smithsonian
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

This display features eight antique Chinese pots.

Cloisonne planter
China, Qing dynasty, Jiaqing reign (1796 - 1820)
Enamel, gilt metal, metal liner
Lent by Mr. and Mrs. I. C. Su ELS2005.3.1

The openwork panels depict symbolic imagery. Two catfish
suspended from a music stone, with bats and peaches surrounding
the motif, form a rebus, or visual pun, auguring "blessing and long
life year after year."

Rectangular ceramic planter
China, Jun-style ware
Jin dynasty, 13th century or later
Stoneware with glaze, wooden stand
Lent by Mr. and Mrs. I. C. Su ELS2005.3.2

This planter shows the bluish-lavendar glaze that
distingishes the style of Jun ware.

Ceramic tripod planter
China, Zhejiang Province, Longquan ware
Ming dynasty, 14th - 15th centurycentury or later
Stoneware with celadon glaze
Lent by Mr. and Mrs. I. C. Su ELS2005.3.3

This tripod bears the eight-trigram motif found in ancient chinese
cosmolgy. These diagrams composed of solid (yang) and broken (yin)
lines are associated with symbolic attributes, including references to the
natural phenomena of sky, earth, wind, water, fire, mountain and marsh.

Ceramic planter with tea-dust glaze
China, jiangx Province, Jinghezhen ware
Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911)
Porcelain with tea-dust-colored and iron glazes
Lent by Mr. and Mrs. I. C. Su ELS2005.3.4

Eighteenth-century potters at the imperial kiln in Jingdezhen created
new monochrome glazes, including lustrous, richly textured "teadust"
glaze. This color is achieved by intentionally underfiring a glaze with
iron oxide as its colorant - the greater the concentration of iron, the
darker the color.

Foliate ceramic planter
China, undated
Unglazed stoneware
Lent by Mr. and Mrs. I. C. Su ELS2005.3.5

The foliate shape of this clay pot would make a perfect foil
for the gnarled roots of the type of bonsai tree likely to have
paired with it.

Rectangular ceramic planter
China, jiangsu Province, Yixing ware
Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644)
Unglazed stoneware
Lent by Mr. and Mrs. I. C. Su ELS2005.3.6

The raven-colored, purplish-black clay of the unglazed pot
was greatly admired in the second half of the Ming dynasty.
Because of Yixing ware's early association with China's
educated scholar class, it still remains one of the favorite
choices for contemporary bonsai artists.

Painted ceramic planter
China, undated
Unglazed stoneware, ink
Lent by Mr. and Mrs. I. C. Su ELS2005.3.7

Unglazed, dark clay pot, including plain ones and those with painterly decoration, are especially admired because the natral pairing between their earthy colors and bonsai arrangements of plants and rocks.

Gilt-metal and jade-inlaid pot
China, Qing dynasty, attributed to Qianlong reign (1736 - 95)
Metal, gilt, jade, stone and glass beads; paired with champleve
enamel stand
Lent by Mr. and Mrs. I. C. Su ELS2005.3.8

The central openwork jade plaques brandish full-faced dragons
and the panels above and below feature the word "shou" meaning
longevity.

Photography by Dennis Howke

Smithsonian Institution World Bonsai Friendship Federation