ARCHAIC BRONZE VESSEL, JUE, WITH ANIMAL MASK PATTERN
青銅獸面紋爵
Ref. no.:
2132
Age:
Late Shang Dynasty c.1300-1050 B.C.
Provenance:
2.Collection of the Wang Family, Taipei, Taiwan
Dimensions
17.2 x 20 cm
Description:
Deep U-shaped body supported on three blade-form tapering legs, cast around the sides with two primitive taotie masks with raised prominent eyes symmetrically divided by a vertical flange, all on a fine angular spiral leiwen pattern as background, the spout flanked by a pair of capped finials set with conical ｀fire-whorl´ medallions, upon one leg set with a loop handle, cast in high quality bronze with excellent resonant qualities, overall in shiny grey patina with large areas of dark green malachite encrustation
An archaeological sample in very similar shape and design to this piece is a Bronze Jue (99APNM229:15) from Phase IIB of the Anyang period, excavated in Tomb M229 North Site of Miaopu, Anyang, Henan in 1999, see Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social Science (CASS) et al., eds., Yinxu xin chu tu qing tong qi (Ritual Bronzes Recently Excavated in Yinxu), 2008, no.38, pp.118-119.
PROVENANCE
1.Formerly in an Old Japanese Collection before World War II
2.Collection of the Wang Family, Taipei, Taiwan