Report on the Freer Gallery of Art 



Sir : I have the honor to submit the thirty-sixth annual report on 

 the Freer Gallery of Art, for the year ended June 30, 1956. 



THE COLLECTIONS 



Twenty-five objects were added to the collection by purchase as 

 follows : 



BRONZE 



55.14. Chinese, Sui dynasty (A. D. 589-G18). Mirror decorated with casting 

 in relief showing the 12 cyclical animals and other symbolic motifs; 

 inscription of 40 characters. Diameter: 0.212. (Illustrated.) 



55.16. Chinese, Northern Wei dynasty (A. D. 386-535). Gilt-bronze figure of the 

 Buddha standing on a lotus pedestal on a 4-legged platform ; removable 

 mandorla with flames, lotuses, and animal mask in relief. 0.639 x 0.259. 



LACQUER 



55.24. Japanese, Tokugawa period (18th century). Writing box (suzuribako) . 

 decorated in high and low relief, in gold, silver, red, green, and black 

 with mother-of-pearl and glass inlays showing the thunder god, a demon, 

 a maiden, and a standard bearer on the cover ; inside is a portrait bust 

 of Daruma, an inkstone, and a water holder. Signed, Kajikawa. 

 0.206 x 0.163 x 0.243. 



56.3. Japanese, Tokugawa period (18th century). Incense box and tray of 

 cryptomeria wood with decoration in lacquer showing monkeys looking 

 at a painting. Attributed to Ritsuo (1663-1747). 0.092x0.190x0.238. 

 56.4. Japanese, Kamakura or Early Ashikaga period (14th century). Box for 

 a priest's robe (kesa) ; basketwork and Mack lacquer decorated in gold; 

 a landscape scene on cover; kesa, band, and shoulder cord included. 

 0.128 x 0.389 x 0.562. 



METALWORK 



55.27. Indian, Mughal period (17th century). Knife made for the emperor 

 Jahangir; partially meteoric iron and decorated with cut design and 

 gold inlay ; inscription dated in correspondence with A. D. 1621. Length : 

 0.261. 



55.23. Japanese, Tokugawa period (19th century). Gold ornament in the form 

 of a wild goose sleeping on a separate base modeled as a bed of reeds. 

 0.032 x 0.084 x 0.038. 



55.10. Syrian, Ayyubid period (13th century). Basin of brass richly inlaid with 

 silver, part of which has fallen out ; decoration includes inscriptions in 

 naskhl and kufic scripts, Christian subjects, polo players, musicians, 

 standing figures in arcades, animals, arabesques, etc. Made for the 

 sultan Ayyub who reigned A. D. 1239-49. 0.225 x 0.500. 



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