Page 52 - Bonhams Chinese Paintings and Works of Art Sept 15, 2015

8058
AN UNUSUAL BRONZE AXE HEAD, YUE
Dian culture, Warring States to Han dynasty
Of long, tubular form, with curving, chamfered sides, displaying two holes and a loop on the
underside for attachment, the body cast on both sides with animal forms and a decorative
rope band, the top of the axe head applied with two large, squatting captives bound together
back-to-back with rope.
5 5/8in (13.5cm) long
$25,000 - 35,000

戰國至漢 滇文化 青銅鉞

Provenance
Sotheby’s New York, The Robert Hatfield Ellsworth Collection: Chinese Archaic and Gilt
Bronzes, 19 March, 2002, lot 77
R.H. Ellsworth no. 3230

Centred around the Dian Lake in northern Yunnan Province, the Dian culture thrived from the
late Spring and Autumn period to the Eastern Han, until its subjugation by Emperor Wu of
the Han in 109 BC. As a remote region more isolated from centralized Chinese influences,
Dian material culture developed its own distinctive style and subject matter, often including
distinctive horned oxen and small human figures.

The presence of human sculptural figures on this axe head make it very unusual, but for a
related spear head suspending two figures from their bound arms, excavated from Shizhaishan
and now in the Yunnan Provincial Museum, Kunming, is illustrated in Zhongguo qingtongji
quaniji, Vol.14, Beijing, 1993, pl. 111. The lurid subject matter on these weapons of two
naked captives, perhaps slaves taken in battle, is rarely seen in bronze. They may indicate
a ceremonial function for the blade, perhaps for use as a trophy to celebrate victory over
enemies. In addition, the musculature, hair and facial details of the figures on the present lot
are remarkably well executed, suggesting the original owner was of particularly exalted rank.

Axe heads of similarly slender form and sharing related scrolling decoration along the shaft, but
lacking the figural appliqués, are in the collection of the Kunming City Museum: see for example,
museum nos.1789 and 1660. See also Dian culture figural pole finials from the Sze Yuen Tang
Collection sold in our Hong Kong rooms, sale 20960, 24 November 2013, lots 517, 518 and 519.

8058 (detail)

50 | BONHAMS