W O R C E S T E R A R T M U S E U M

Jade has fascinated the Chinese for thousandsof years. It was believed to be a supernaturalemanation of mountains and streams,embodying the essence of life, virtue, immor-tality and nobility. Extremely tough and pure intone when struck, jade was esteemed as thefairest and most valuable of stones. Inextricablyconnected with Chinese culture, jade was fash-ioned into objects of magical, religious, philo-sophical and/or auspicious symbolism. Ancient

rulers used ceremonial jades as offeringsenabling communication with heavenly andearthly powers. The possession and awardingof such jades also invested noblemen with rankand authority. The earliest jade objects, foundin tombs dating from the late Neolithic periodthrough the Han dynasty (ca. 2500 BCE–220CE), include ceremonial disks, tools and talis-manic pendants and sculptures of mythologicalbeasts and real animals.

Mountain HarvestsChinese Jades & Other Treasured Stones

1: Circular Table Screen with Mountain Scene, Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911),18th century, nephrite, gift of Maria and John Dirlam, 1999.433

The mystique and beauty of ancient jades, aswell as the association since the 5th centuryBCE of jade with Confucian virtues and Taoistimmortal realms, inspired archaistic revivalsduring later centuries. Many early patrons andcollectors of jade could be found at the imper-ial court. In particular, the dynamic Manchuruler Qianlong (r. 1736-95) secured a flow ofjade (i.e., nephrite and jadeite) to be used forcreating luxurious works. After taking militarycontrol of the western Xinjiang province in thelate 1750s, the emperor received tribute giftsof nephrite boulders gathered in the KunlunMountains. He also facilitated the importationof nephrite from Siberia and jadeite fromMyanmar (Burma).

When polished, nephrite gains a silky, slightlygreasy surface; jadeite becomes more vitreousand lustrous. The difference is due to the factthat the crystals in nephrite form an interwo-ven fibrous structure while those in jadeite areseparate, yet inter-locking granular entities.Nephrite occurs in white to spinach-green andrusset colors, due to varying amounts of natu-rally occurring iron and by the presence of

small quantities of impurities. Jadeite is foundin a wider range of colors, including greens,blue, lavender, yellow and pink, due to the pres-ence of chemical impurities such as chromiumand iron.

From the late 18th to the early 20th century,Chinese interest in sculpting jade and otherstones of varied colors and patterns wasunparalleled in any other culture. Respectingthe original forms of stones, artisans createdelegant accessories and sculptures using sand abrasives, cutting and polishing treadlewheels and hand-driven borers and drills.These art works were destined for the desks and display shelves of courtiers, officials, scholars and the increasingly wealthy bourgeoisie.

The CollectorsThe Worcester ArtMuseum houses a very fine collection of Chinese jades andother semipreciousstones. A smallnumber of archaicjades were purchasedby the Museum in1955. Most of thecollection, however, consists of elegant Qingdynasty (1644–1911) works donated by twoWorcester area couples.

Maria and John Dirlam of Southbridge,Massachusetts (illus. 3), began donating artworks in nephrite and jadeite in 1996. JohnDirlam is president of the J. I. Morris Company,a company that produces miniature screws and fasteners as well as polishing discs andpads. Both John and Maria Dirlam have beenactive supporters of Worcester County educational, cultural and human service organizations; John Dirlam serves as aWorcester Art Museum trustee.

3: Maria and John Dirlam withone of their favorite jade works

2: Table Screen with Mountain Landscapes, Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911), mid 18th century, nephrite, gift of Maria and John Dirlam, 1996.131

A trip to Hong Kong in the 1960s marked thebeginning of John Dirlam’s passionate interestin jade. He became a serious collector abouttwenty years ago, selecting objects thatreflect a wide range of styles and subjectmatter. As a manufacturer, Mr. Dirlam appre-ciates tangible objects that reflect high levelsof exacting workmanship. He particularlyadmires how jade artisans for millennia wereable to create exquisite art objects out ofrough jade boulders, without any of thesophisticated power tools and synthetic abrasives available today.

John Dirlam’s interest in Chinese lapiday artparallels the collecting of an earlier leadingWorcester County industrialist, Harry W.Goddard, (1863–1927). Mr. Goddard assem-bled his collection in the late 19th and early20th century. In 1938 his wife, Grace (1866–1935), donated more than sixty works ofChinese jade and other stones in memory ofher late husband. Harry Goddard (illus. 4)began his career at the Spencer WireCompany at the age of seventeen and rose tobe its president, general manager and princi-pal owner. He moved the manufacturing plant

from Spencer to Worcester and built a homeat 190 Salisbury Street. The mansion was leftto the American Antiquarian Society by hisdaughter, Eleanor Goddard Daniels. A paint-ing, still on display in the house, shows GraceGoddard, her daughter Eleanor GoddardDaniels and granddaughter Eleanor Daniels(Branson Hodge) holding a Manchu courtnecklace (chaozu) of varied stones (illus. 5). A major industrialist and civic leader of histime, Harry Goddard served as a WorcesterArt Museum trustee from 1923 until his death in 1927.

In her memoir, the Goddard’s granddaughter,Eleanor D. B. Hodge, remembers her grandfa-ther as an avid collector who on special occa-sions would allow her to see his “dazzling”collection of objects made from jade andother precious stones. Mr. Goddard seems tohave had a particular fondness for colorfulstones since two-thirds of his collection wasmade from non-jade material including agate,amber, amethyst, carnelian, chalcedony, coral,lapis lazuli, malachite, rock crystal, rosequartz, soapstone and turquoise.

5: The Goddard Women by Mary Fairchild Low, 1922, © American Antiquarian Society

4: Harry W. Goddard by Arthur M. Hazard, 1927, © AmericanAntiquarian Society

Select MasterpiecesThe Dirlam and Goddard donations reflect aspecial admiration for works created during thefirst half of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), thelast golden age of lapidary art in terms of tech-nical virtuosity and artistic inventiveness. Manyelegant masterpieces date from the prosperous18th century when the Qianlong emperordoubled the size of the Chinese empire througha series of military campaigns. He also becamefamous for his devotion to family and scholar-ship and for his patronage of literature, art andarchitecture.

A connoisseur of Chinese antiquities,Qianlong sought to “restore the ancient ways”and wrote numerous poems about jade. Heencouraged his jade artisans to use ancientbronzes and jades in the imperial collection asinspiration for their work. Some jade vesselswere close copies but most were creativeamalgamations of the archaic forms anddecorative motifs of earlier eras. The spinach-green jade incense burner (illus. 6) emulatesthe shape of color mixers used in ancienttimes to store and mix artists’ paints. The lidhas a central knob in the shape of a largecoiled dragon that plants its outstretchedpaws on four young dragons. The sides of thevessel are embellished with phoenix-shapedhandles as well as low-relief patterns ofserpentine animals and variations of the character for longevity.

Qianlong also encouraged his jade artisans torender naturalistic subjects. In contrast withthe understated style of earlier periods, 18thcentury works were often made larger, morerealistic, detailed, extravagant, and polished.Exquisite in color and sculptural artistry, thecarnelian vase features a magpie, messengerof good news and harbinger of spring, amidstmagnolia (illus. 7). On the reverse is a phoenixamidst peonies, announcing summer or theadvent of a wise ruler.

Jade and other colored stone objects featur-ing plant and animal subjects were chargedwith symbolic meaning. The double-gourdbox (illus. 8), crafted into two interlocking

6: Incense Burner with Lid, in the Shape of a Bronze Color-Mixer, 18th century, nephrite, bequest of Mrs. Harry W.Goddard, in memory of Harry W. Goddard, 1938.34

7: Triple Vase with Magnolia, Magpie, Peony and Phoenix, Qingdynasty (1644 – 1911), 18th century, carnelian, bequest of Mrs.Harry W. Goddard, in memory of Harry W. Goddard, 1938.59

8: Box in the Shape of a Double-Gourd, Qing dynasty (1644 –1911), 18th century, nephrite, gift of Maria and John Dirlam,1997.136

halves, can simply be enjoyed for its beautyand skillful craftsmanship. However, it is alsoemblematic of the unity of heaven and earthand reminiscent of the dried gourd containersused by Taoist sages for their magical elixir.The two butterflies signify joy and maritalromantic bliss, as well as a doubling ofwishes—the word butterfly, die, is a homo-phone for “to repeat.” Similarly, the stem withits trailing tendrils is interpreted as a wish fora family of many generations.

Scholars hoping to gain positions in theConfucian bureaucracy and access to thehighest social and cultural spheres, includingthe imperial court, were required to take civilservice examinations. Only the wealthy hadthe time and means to memorize classicaltexts and gain the calligraphic, literary andmusical skills needed to pass the tests. The double carp vase (illus. 9) would havebeen an ideal gift for literati-officials. The vaseis shaped like two carp leaping from swirlingwaves. The larger carp is shown being trans-formed into a dragon. According to legend,

carp that succeeded in swimming upstreamin the Yellow River and passed the rapids ofLong-men (Dragon Gate) turned into drag-ons. The carps’ feats of vigor and persever-ance were compared to traditional Chinesescholars who spent years studying for therigorous examinations.

Wealthy scholar-officials were avid collectorsof elegant desk accessories that reflectedtheir sophisticated taste, moral values andidealized reclusive life-style. They valued jadeas a stone with qualities (luster, translucency,pure tone, tough compactness, angularitywithout sharpness) that exemplified the five

11: Boulder with Mountain Scenes: Two Deer on a Path, Qingdynasty (1644 – 1911), late 18th —early 19th century,nephrite, gift of Maria and John Dirlam, 1997.137

9: Double Carp Vase, Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911), mid 18thcentury, nephrite, bequest of Mrs. Harry W. Goddard, inmemory of Harry W. Goddard, 1938.69

10: Brush Holder, Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911), mid 18thcentury, nephrite, gift of Maria and John Dirlam, 1996.130

virtues of a perfect Confucian gentleman (charity, rectitude, wisdom, courage andjustice). They also felt drawn to the “jade” peaksand pavilions said to exist in the Taoist realm ofimmortals. Scenes of scholars, immortals andanimals living amidst the mountains werefavorite motifs on jade table screens, brushholders, and decorative boulders (illus. 1, 2, 10and 11). A light color area and wispy clouds inlow relief on the boulder suggests that the twodeer are out walking on a slightly hazy moonlitnight (illus. 11). Jade artisans were often inspiredby woodblock print reproductions of paintingsand re-created the designs in differing planes of relief, sometimes even piercing the walls ofthe vessel.

Brush washers and water droppers, used todilute ink, were made of the highest qualityjade or colorful stones and often hadsymbolic motifs or shapes. Displayed duringdifferent seasons, they offered philosophicalinspiration and topics of conversation. One such accessory, in turquoise importedfrom Tibet or Mongolia, is shaped like a largeboulder; its surface is enlivened by playfulBuddhist lion-dogs symbolic of valor andenergy (illus. 12). The lion-dog, posing on the

lid with a paw on its cub, refers to a play-on-words that conveys the wish that the son mayfollow in his father’s footsteps and rise to thestatus of a high-ranking official.

Sculptures of revered male and female figuresof myth, faith and good fortune were oftencommissioned as gifts symbolizing wishes forsuccess, spiritual development and a long,happy life. Confucian gentlemen-scholars,eccentric Taoist gods and immortals, andBuddha’s enlightened disciples werefrequently depicted amidst lofty mountains.The Buddhist monk shown here (illus. 13) ismeditating next to a waterfall. The flowingwater design is continued on the underside ofthe sculpture and on its wooden stand. Thewoman depicted on the coral vase (illus. 14)could be the virtuous Taoist Queen Mother ofthe West, Xiwangmu or the compassionateLady Ma. The latter is more likely since LadyMa is often described as carrying a basketcontaining sacred mushrooms, flowers andfruit accompanied by a deer. Coral wasemblematic of longevity and official promo-tion since it was popularly believed to comefrom a tree at the bottom of the sea thatblooms once each century.

13: Buddhist Monk (Lohan) with Staff Meditating NearMountain Stream, Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911), 18thcentury, nephrite, bequest of Mrs. Harry W. Goddard, in memory of Harry W. Goddard, 1938.67

12: Water Container with Lion-Dogs, Qing dynasty (1644 –1911), 18th century, turquoise, bequest of Mrs. Harry W.Goddard, in memory of Harry W. Goddard, 1938.37

By developing friendly relations with Myanmar(Burma) in 1784, the Qianlong Emperor wasable to secure a steady supply of jadeite. Fewerobjects were made in jadeite; it is rarer thannephrite and has always been favored forluxury gift items and jewelry. The lustrouslavender-tinted jadeite boulder, depicting adetailed scene from the Taoist mythologicalPenglai Islands (illus. 15), exemplifies the tech-nical virtuosity of 20th century masters usingmodern tools and abrasives. An immortal withlong eyebrows is seated near a cave, shelteredby an old pine. Holding both a vessel with theelixir of immortality and a rabbit, which accord-ing to legend pounds the herbs of the elixir, thesage observes the arrival of two cranes.

WO R C E S T E R A R T M U S E U M 55 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA 01609Wed.– Sun. 11–5, Thurs. 11–8, Sat. 10–5 508.799.4406 www.worcesterart .org

14: Covered Vase Decorated with Female Figure HoldingLingzhi Fungus and Peony Branch, Accompanied by a Boy, aCrane and a Deer, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), 18th century,coral, bequest of Mrs. Harry W. Goddard, in memory ofHarry W. Goddard, 1938.70

15: Boulder with Mountain Landscape and Taoist Sage, 20thcentury, jadeite, gift of Maria and John Dirlam, 1996.129

This brochure was compiled by LouiseVirgin, Curator of Asian Art, and SusannahBaker, Curatorial Assistant. Expertiseregarding the technical nature of the stoneswas generously provided by Arthur H.Brownlow, Professor of Geology, and PhilipKlausmeyer, Andrew W. MellonConservator in Paintings and ConservationScience, at WAM. The masterpieces high-lighted in this brochure were featured aspart of the exhibition Mountain Harvests:Chinese Jades and Other Treasured Stones.March 4, 2006 through March 4, 2007.

Generous support provided by the Dirlam-MorrisCharitable Trust and Maria & John Dirlam.