Smithsonian Showcases Ancient Chinese Artifacts

A rare display of ancient Chinese artifacts at the Smithsonian’s Sackler Gallery in Washington D.C. is offering the public an unprecedented glimpse into Chinese cultures that disappeared long ago — a sampling of a massive collection of objects that once belonged to collector Dr. Paul Singer, who donated the collection to the Smithsonian based on an understanding with the Gallery founder, Dr. Arthur M. Sackler.  

The exhibit, entitled “One Man’s Search for Ancient China: The Paul Singer Collection,” showcases 63 mostly small objects selected from Singer’s massive collection of some 5,000 works, accumulated over seven decades. This collection has and continues to be a source of information that is helping scholars to better understand a number of ancient Chinese cultures, a form of “encyclopedic” reference for archaeological study. 

“The Singer collection fills in many gaps in the story of early China,” said J. Keith Wilson, exhibition curator and curator of ancient Chinese art at the Freer and Sackler galleries. “Objects such as these are found in few museum collections, but they contribute greatly to our understanding and study of thousands of years of history.”  The exhibit includes pre-Anyang bronzes, decorative gold fragments and jewelry, miniature vessels and figurines, and objects associated with the ancient culture of Chu, located in south China. It also features some more unorthodox objects, such as a sword, fittings and box, and a lacquer cosmetic box that still holds a woman’s ancient hairpieces. (Sample objects are pictured below).

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Above and below, lidded cosmetic box with animals, clouds, and geometric decoration  China, probably Hunan province, Changsha, Eastern Zhou dynasty, Warring States period- Western Han dynasty, 3rd–2nd century BCE Box: black and red lacquer on wood core; contents: wood, human hair, silk, and other organic materials H x Diam (a): 8.2 x 26.1 cm  Arthur M. Sackler Gallery RLS1997.48.1001

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Plaque in the form of addorsed dragons  China, Eastern Zhou dynasty, Spring and Autumn period to early Warring States period, 6th–5th century BCE Bronze with gold foil  H x W x D (overall): 13.1 x 9.5 x 0.1 cm   Arthur M. Sackler Gallery RLS1997.48.4508

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As a scholar, Singer pioneered research and understanding of the ancient Chinese Chu state (6th–3rd c. BCE), becoming one of the first Westerners to publish on the topic, but his meticulous categorization of all of the finds from various cultures, showing “a sequential development in all the materials worked by Chinese artists,” may have been one of his greatest contributions to the study of ancient China.  

The artifacts are on view January 19 – July 7, 2013 at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, located at 1050 Independence Avenue S.W., Washington, D.C., on the National Mall. More information can be obtained at the Smithsonian’s Freer/Sackler Gallery website. 

*Republished from Popular Archaeology with permission.