Page 92 - Deydier The_Lippens_Collection_of_Ancient_Chinese_Bronzes

方彝

25 – archaic bronze wine vessel fangyi
SHANG DYNASTY, ANYANG / YINXU PERIOD
CIRCA 14 – 12 / 11 CENTURIES B. C.
TH
TH
TH
H.: 19.5 CM W.: 10.2 CM
This archaic rectangular bronze vessel fangyi with a sloping-roof-
like cover was used to hold fermented beverages.
Each side of the body is decorated in its centre with a large taotie
mask in high relief on a leiwen background with a wide frieze of
confronting kui dragons on a leiwen background above and below it.
The roof-like cover with slightly concave sides is cast with an invert-
ed taotie mask on its front and reverse sides and with owl-shaped
masks on its narrower sides. The cover is surmounted by a small
knob consisting of a thick pillar supporting a miniature roof-shaped
top incised with small taotie masks.
The vessel has a nice green patina.

INSCRIPTION
– The two-character inscription inside the vessel reads “Ya Zhou”,
probably a clan’s name.

92