Ornament: mouse
18th-19th century
Classification
Jewelry and Ornament
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Accession Number
F1911.456
Tags
About this artwork
To 1911
Art Historical Context
This charming jade ornament, shaped as a playful mouse, hails from China's Qing dynasty (16441911), likely crafted in the 18th or 19th century. Part of the esteemed Charles Lang Freer collection it entered the Smithsonian American Art Museum a generous gift from the industrialist and avid Asian art collector. Adorning jewelry or personal items, such pieces reflect the refined elegance of late imperial China, where small-scale ornaments blended everyday utility with artistic sophistication. Carved from jade—a stone revered in Chinese culture for its luminous translucence and symbolic ties to p...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...