Page 38 - Fine Chinese Art Bonhams London May 2018

Ritual bronze vessels such as the present lot were among the most 類似於本拍品的青銅禮器在鑄造工藝上顯示出高超的技術水平和高度
highly prized and technically sophisticated objects manufactured in 嚴密的組織性，在中國古代備受青睞。此等青銅器代表著至高無上的
early China. Reserved for use by the most powerful families of the 權利，為貴族身份等級的重要標誌，用以各種禮儀活動，目的是祈求
time, they carried the offerings presented to the ancestors during 或借助百神和列祖列宗來庇護貴族的利益和特權，進而維護「世代相
the performance of elaborate rituals. The role of these vessels was 續」的統治權力。
thus fundamental in ensuring the continuity of family lines, as it was
believed that the ancestors were active participants to the life of their 賽克勒舊藏一件商代公元前十二至十一世紀的青銅鼎可資參考，其
living offspring, which they could positively influence if provided with 形制及龍紋和饕餮紋飾與此鼎類似，見R.Bagley，《Shang Ritual
continuous nourishment. Bronzes in the Arthur M.Sackler Collections》，頁464-465，編號86。

Compare with a similar archaic bronze ding vessel, 11th-11th century 另見香港佳士得售出一件商代晚期青銅鼎，飾類似龍紋及饕餮
BC, decorated in two registers with confronted dragons and taotie 紋，2012年5月30日，拍品編號4131。
masks, illustrated by R.Bagley, Shang Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur
M.Sackler Collections, pp.464-465, no.86.

An archaic bronze ding, late Shang dynasty, similarly decorated in two
registers depicting dragons and taotie designs, was sold at Christie’s
Hong Kong, 30 May 2012, lot 4131.

36 | BONHAMS