Decorated with incised geometric designs representing pangolin or tortoise scales and a female figure or head, bow stands were items of royal regalia that served both practical and spiritual purposes. They  were used to hold bows and arrows as well as symbolize sacred kingship.

The following essay is from the 1982 publication Dallas Collects American Paintings: Colonial to Early Modern.

George Grosz arrived in Berlin in 1912, after attending art school in Dresden, and the city he discovered would provide both the raucous subject matter and the acerbic tone for his work over the next two decades.

On May 13, 1952, the celebrated artist George Grosz arrived in Dallas, Texas, finally reaching the landscape of his childhood dreams. Grosz's invitation to Dallas originated from Leon Harris, Jr., the young vice president of a Dallas department store, A. Harris & Company, who conceived the rather improbable idea of offering Grosz a major commission as a component of the store's 65th anniversary celebrations.

 

This painting on silk, created as a wall hanging, is a fine example of Japanese landscape painting. As is often found in Japanese compositions, a largely empty upper area contrasts with the image of the cranes placed off-center in the lower portion of the scene.

 

This painting on silk, created as a wall hanging, is a fine example of Japanese landscape painting. As is often found in Japanese compositions, a largely empty upper area contrasts with the image of the cranes placed off-center in the lower portion of the scene.

This tea bowl is an example of shino ware. Shino ware developed specifically for use in the tea ceremony. The kiln centers of Karatsu and Takatori were founded to produce everyday wares, but eventually also received orders from tea masters to create wares suitable for tea, such as this.

After moving to the United States, George Grosz claimed to have abandoned the political engagement of his earlier work and turned his attention to a new subject matter, particularly landscapes and nudes. These soothing images struck many of his old friends as a cynical retreat from his earlier political images.