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Lot Essay
The small holes at the edges of some of the sections indicate they would have been sewn onto a leather or fabric backing that would have been draped over the horse's forehead as ceremonial paraphernalia. Masks of this type were also often made as an entire taotie or animal mask, such as the example in the British Museum illustrated by J. Rawson, Chinese Bronzes, Art and Ritual, London, 1987, p. 75, no. 19, where it is described as an openwork harness frontlet that adorned the head of a horse pulling a chariot. As with the present sectional mask, there are holes for attachment.
A sectional mask, very similar to the Falk mask, but with the addition of ears, is illustrated in Jun Xian Xincun, Beijing, 1964, pl. XLIV:1. This publication describes the excavation of Western Zhou artifacts from Xin Village in Xun Xian, Henan province. The shape of the mouth and eyes is especially similar in the two masks. Two other masks composed of sections are also illustrated, pl. XLIV:2, comprising a mouth, nose, ears and eyes, which are plain and flat with no openwork details, and pl. XLIII:1, where the features are done in openwork and in relief, but are of somewhat different form and include eyebrows. Yet another mask, pl. XLV:2, has a very similar, separate, cut-out mouth, but the center of the face is of a whole with protruding ears below what may be separate curved horns. Another sectional mask which appears to be composed of smaller separate features is illustrated by Cheng Dong and Zhong Shao-yi in Ancient Chinese Weapons - A Collection of Pictures, Beijing, 1990, p. 62, 3:61.
A sectional mask, very similar to the Falk mask, but with the addition of ears, is illustrated in Jun Xian Xincun, Beijing, 1964, pl. XLIV:1. This publication describes the excavation of Western Zhou artifacts from Xin Village in Xun Xian, Henan province. The shape of the mouth and eyes is especially similar in the two masks. Two other masks composed of sections are also illustrated, pl. XLIV:2, comprising a mouth, nose, ears and eyes, which are plain and flat with no openwork details, and pl. XLIII:1, where the features are done in openwork and in relief, but are of somewhat different form and include eyebrows. Yet another mask, pl. XLV:2, has a very similar, separate, cut-out mouth, but the center of the face is of a whole with protruding ears below what may be separate curved horns. Another sectional mask which appears to be composed of smaller separate features is illustrated by Cheng Dong and Zhong Shao-yi in Ancient Chinese Weapons - A Collection of Pictures, Beijing, 1990, p. 62, 3:61.