CHINE, FIN DE LA DYNASTIE SHANG, XIIIÈME-XIIÈME SIÈCLE AV. J.-C.

This bronze gu exemplifies the ritual vessels produced at Yinxu and fully displays the aesthetic features of the Shang three-section gu form. The tall, slender neck is decorated with banana-leaf motifs filled with simplified cicada patterns, evoking the cicada’s association with purity and transcendence. The central register features a disassembled, inward-scrolling taotie mask with prominent eyes, projecting solemnity and power. The flared foot bears a further simplified mask set against a leiwen ground, creating the characteristic “three-tier flower” decorative structure.
The clan emblem shi cast inside the foot identifies the vessel as belonging to the Shi lineage. This gu was likely an important vessel used by that lineage in sacrificial and feasting ceremonies.