Page 97 - Deydier The_Lippens_Collection_of_Ancient_Chinese_Bronzes

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26 – archaic bronze food vessel hu
SHANG DYNASTY, ANYANG / YINXU PERIOD
CIRCA 14 – 12 / 11 CENTURIES B. C.
TH
TH
TH
H.: 32 CM
Archaic bronze food vessel hu with a pear-shaped oval body, lug
handles on its upper sides and a high conical hollow foot.
The hu’s body is decorated on each side with two large taotie masks
set one above the other and separated by a plain, narrow indented
band. Each taotie mask is decorated with protuberant round eyes
cast in intaglio on a leiwen background and is composed of a pair of
confronting kui dragons centered on a vertical flange.
Small handles decorated with incised bovine heads extend from the
top sides of the vessel just below its undecorated rim.
The vessel’s high conical hollow foot is decorated with a monocular
pattern.
The hu’s has an olive-green patina with malachite incrustations.

INSCRIPTION

– A five-character inscription inside the vessel near its upper rim
reads: “Zuo Fu Ding bao yi”, “Made for Father Ding, this precious
sacrificial vessel”.

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