A PAIR OF BRONZE TRIPOD FOOD VESSELS, DING

SHANG DYNASTY

Details

A PAIR OF BRONZE TRIPOD FOOD VESSELS, DING
Shang Dynasty
Each deep, rounded bowl raised on three slightly tapering columnar supports, the sides well cast in flat relief with a narrow band of three taotie masks centered by small flanges and formed by confronted dragons shown in profile, above a band of triangular cicada blades, all surmounted by a pair of bail handles rising from the narrow rim, with a two-character pictogram on the interior, with black lacquer inlay still visible in the decoration, some rust, malachite and azurite encrustation
6in. (15.8cm.) high

Lot Essay

A very similar example, in size and decoration, which differs only in the detail within the cicada blades is illustrated by William Watson, Ancient Chinese Bronzes, London, 1962, pl. 13b. For another pair, again with slightly different detail in the blades, see Royal Ontario Museum: The T.T. Tsui Galleries of Chinese Art, Toronto, 1996, no. 12.