LATE SHANG/EARLY WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY, 12TH-11TH CENTURY BC

Details

A BRONZE RITUAL TRIPOD STEAMER, YEN
LATE SHANG/EARLY WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY, 12TH-11TH CENTURY BC
The deep bowl is cast with a band composed of three taotie masks below a pair of rope-twist bail handles that rise from the everted rim. Each mask is centered between the three bovine masks that are hollow-cast at the top of each leg. The bottom of the interior is fitted with a hinged grate pierced with five cross motifs. The bronze has a mottled grey and milky green patina.
15½ in. (39.5 cm.) high

Provenance

Gisèle Cröes, Brussels, 1985.

Brought to you by

Michael Bass

Check the condition report or get in touch for additional information about this

mbass@Christies.com + 1 212 636 2176

If you wish to view the condition report of this lot, please sign in to your account.

View condition report

Lot Essay

A very similar yen, from a Western Zhou tomb in Liujiacun, Fufeng county, Shaanxi province, is illustrated in Zhongguo Qingtongqi Quanji - 5 - Xi Zhou (1), Beijing, 1996, p. 43, no. 46. Also illustrated, p. 42, no. 45, is another similar xian from Yangjiabao, Fufeng county, Shaanxi province, which has a similar taotie band cast in intaglio below the mouth rim, but lacks the cast designs accentuating the features of the bovine masks set atop each leg. Another similar yen from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections was sold in these rooms, 25-26 March 2010, lot 1007.

More from Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art Part I

View All