Washington Monument Commemorative Stone: American Mission, Ningpo, China, (sculpture)

Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery

Object Details

sculptor
Unknown
Jacob, Judith M., "The Washington Monument: A Technical History and Catalog of the Commemorative Stones," Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, 2005, pg. 158.
Image on file.
Jacob, Judith M., "The Washington Monument: A Technical History and Catalog of the Commemorative Stones," Washington, D.C.: National Park Service, 2005, pg. 158.
(Translation:) SU-KU-YU, BY IMPERIAL APPOINTMENT,LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF THE PROVINCE OF FUH KUN, IN HIS UNIVERSAL GEOGRAPHY, SAYS: "IT IS EVIDENT THAT WASHINGTON WAS A REMARKABLE MAN. IN DEVISING PLANS HE WAS MORE DECIDED THAN CHIN-SING OR WU-KANG; IN WINNING A COUNTRY, HE WAS BRAVER THAN TSAU-TSAU OR LIN PI....AMONG THE PEOPLE OF THE GREAT WEST, CAN ANY ONE MAN, IN ANCIENT OR MODERN TIMES, FAIL TO PRONOUNCE WASHINGTON PEERLESS?" THIS STONE IS PRESENTED BY A COMPANY OF GOOD CHRISTIANS AND ENGRAVED AT NINGPO, IN THE PROVICNE OF CHE HEANG, CHINA, THIS THIRD YEAR OF THE REIGN OF THE EMPEROR HE-EN FUNG, SIXTH MONTH AND SEVENTH DAY (July 12, 1853)
The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.
Summary
The stone is incised with Chinese characters, with the black paint in the letters. Surrounding the inscription is a wide border carved in relief with images of monks, dragons, warriors, and foliage.
1853. Installed 1885
Control number
IAS 78230132
Type
Sculptures-Relief
Sculptures
Medium
Stone, with black paint
Owner/Location
Administered by United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Washington District of Columbia
Located National Mall Adjacent to 14th Street, between Constitution Avenue, N.W. & Independence Avenue, S.W Washington District of Columbia
Art Inventories Catalog, Smithsonian American Art Museums
Topic
Allegory--Place--China
Figure male
Occupation--Religion--Monk
Fantasy--Dragon
Occupation--Military
Object--Flower
Object--Foliage
Record ID
siris_ari_373602
Metadata Usage (text)
Usage conditions apply