Page 238 - Important Chinese Art Sothebys March 2019

CHINESE RITUAL BRONZES FROM A

DISTINGUISHED NEW YORK PRIVATE COLLECTION

LOTS 657-665

657
AN IMPRESSIVE ARCHAIC BRONZE a closely related pou, from the arthur m. 商末 青銅饕餮紋瓿
RITUAL FOOD VESSEL (POU) sackler Collection, is published in robert W.
LATE SHANG DYNASTY Bagley, Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. 來源
Sackler Collections, smithsonian Institution, 紐約蘇富比1983年12月7日，編號49
the slightly compressed body rising to a short Washington D.C., 1987, pl. 57, fig. 57, where 紐約私人收藏
tapering neck set with two bowstring bands the author also illustrated two related pou, one 上拍於紐約佳士得1992年6月4日，編號
below the everted rim, the rounded sides well excavated in Chengguxian, shaanxi province, 179
cast in shallow relief against a leiwen ground with p. 335, fig. 57.1, and the other formerly in the 加拿大私人收藏
a central band of taotie masks, each centered by collection of Brenda Zara seligman, now in
a low narrow flange, below a band of confronting the British museum, London, p. 336, fig. 57.2. 紐約蘇富比2002年3月20日，編號18
kuilong divided by three raised beast masks, a similar pou of this type, but with a two-
the tall splayed foot with two pierced apertures character inscription, in the Cernuschi museum,
above a band of addorsed birds and beast paris, is published in Wu Zhenfeng, Shangzhou
masks, the surface with gray patina mottled with qingtongqi mingwen ji tuxiang jicheng
some areas of malachite encrustation [Compendium of Inscriptions and Images of
height 13 in., 33 cm Bronzes from shang and Zhou Dynasties], vol.
25, shanghai, 2012, no. 13963.
PROVENANCE
For examples of pou sold at auction, see a
sotheby’s new York, 7th December 1983, lot closely related example of a slightly smaller size
49. sold at Christie’s new York, 24th march 2011,
new York private Collection. lot 1239; one formerly in the sano art museum,
offered at Christie’s new York, 4th June 1992, mishima City, Japan, was sold in these rooms
lot 179. 14th september 2011, lot 265; four further
Canadian private Collection. examples sold at Christie’s new York, 29th
sotheby’s new York, 20th march 2002, lot 18. march 2006, lot 349; 19th september 1996, lot
Pou first appeared in the shang bronze casting 207; 4th June 1992, lot 179; and 2nd December
repertory at the end of the erligang phase and 1989, lot 27; one sold twice in these rooms,
had disappeared before the beginning of the first 7th December 1983, lot 49, and later 20th
Western Zhou. the present piece is notable for march 2002, lot 18; and another sold in our
its large size and dignified form. Its surface is London rooms, 6th February 1970, lot 16.
intricately covered with an elaborate design of
taotie and kuilong meticulously cast in low relief $ 100,000-150,000
and accentuated with three prominently raised
bovine heads and pairs of protruding eyes.

236 SOTHEBY’S Important ChInese art