Bowl

Bowl

1st-3rd century

Gift of Charles Lang Freer

Clay: soft, white. Glaze: whitish, almost wholly decomposed.

HxW: 7.3 x 14.2 cm

F1904.150

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2

186

West

Arsacid period

Iraq

Jug

Jug

Dated to the Parthian period of the first through third century BCE, this jug has a green, alkaline glaze that has degraded and even entirely worn off in some areas. Although it was badly damaged when Freer purchased it from Dikran Kelekian in 1905, he regarded the piece as "interesting," and in the Peacock Room he grouped it with other similarly time-ravaged examples of Mesopotamian pottery. He believed that the surfaces of these Near Eastern vessels resonated with the complex chromatic qualities of his American paintings, particularly those by James McNeill Whistler, Thomas Dewing, and Dwight Tryon.

150 B.C.E.-225 C.E.

Gift of Charles Lang Freer

Dikran G. Kelekian

Glazed clay

HxW: 20.7 x 16.5 cm

F1905.243

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2

56

North

Parthian period

Iraq

France

Paris

Jar

Jar

Earthenware jars of this shape, typically covered with an alkaline glaze colored brown, green, or turquoise, are characteristic products from Mesopotamia during the Parthian period of the first through third century BCE. The qualities Freer most admired were the subtle colors, textured surfaces, and iridescent decay of the glaze, which he felt resonated with the complex chromatic qualities of his American paintings, particularly those by James McNeill Whistler, Thomas Dewing, and Dwight Tryon.

1st-3rd century

Gift of Charles Lang Freer

Dikran G. Kelekian

Earthenware with alkaline glaze

HxW: 26.4 x 19.4 cm

F1902.7

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2

55

North

Parthian period

Iraq

France

Paris

Jar

Jar

The glaze on this Parthian jar was originally green, but by the time that Freer bought it from Dikran Kelekian in 1905, it had decomposed to a whitish color, with a silvery iridescence. Freer acquired six other vessels like this one: typically covered with brown, green or turquoise alkaline glaze, they are characteristic of the wares produced in Mesopotamia from the first through the third centuries BCE.

1st-3rd century

Gift of Charles Lang Freer

Dikran G. Kelekian

Earthenware with alkaline glaze

HxW: 27.3 x 19.4 cm

F1905.255

http://141.217.97.109/plugins/Dropbox/files/peacock-jpg/JPEG/F1905.255.jpg

2

52

North

Parthian period

Iraq

France

Paris

Jar

Jar

"Interesting," noted Freer of this Parthian vessel. "Compare with similar specimens," he added in his inventory notes: And in the Peacock Room in Detroit, he put the suggestion into practice, placing this jar adjacent to four similar examples. Earthenware jars of this shape, typically covered with an alkaline glaze colored brown, green, or turquoise, are characteristic products from Mesopotamia during the Parthian period of the first through third century BCE. Freer acquired his Parthian wares from Dikran Kelekian, whose main gallery was located in Paris.

1st-3rd century

Gift of Charles Lang Freer

Dikran G. Kelekian

Earthenware with alkaline glaze

HxW: 26.3 x 20.5 cm

F1903.191

http://141.217.97.109/plugins/Dropbox/files/peacock-jpg/JPEG/F1903.191.jpg

2

50

North

Parthian period

Iraq

France

Paris

Jar

Jar

Earthenware jars of this shape, typically covered with an alkaline glaze colored brown, green, or turquoise, are characteristic products from Mesopotamia during the Parthian period of the first through third century BCE. The qualities Freer most admired were the subtle colors, textured surfaces, and iridescent decay of the glaze, which he felt resonated with the complex chromatic qualities of his American paintings, particularly those by James McNeill Whistler, Thomas Dewing, and Dwight Tryon.

1st-3rd century

Gift of Charles Lang Freer

Dikran G. Kelekian

Earthenware with alkaline glaze

HxW: 27.0 x 21.4 cm

F1902.192

http://141.217.97.109/plugins/Dropbox/files/peacock-jpg/JPEG/F1902.192.jpg

2

44

North

Parthian period

Iraq

France

Paris

Jar

Jar

Earthenware jars of this shape, typically covered with an alkaline glaze colored brown, green, or turquoise, are characteristic products from Mesopotamia during the Parthian period of the first through third century BCE. The qualities Freer most admired were the subtle colors, textured surfaces, and iridescent decay of the glaze, which he felt resonated with the complex chromatic qualities of his American paintings, particularly those by James McNeill Whistler, Thomas Dewing, and Dwight Tryon.

1st-3rd century

Gift of Charles Lang Freer

Earthenware with alkaline glaze

HxW: 27.4 x 19.9 cm

F1903.190

http://141.217.97.109/plugins/Dropbox/files/peacock-jpg/JPEG/F1903.190.jpg

2

41

North

Parthian period

Iraq