Page 138 - Christies September 13 to 14th Fine Chinese Works of Art New York

PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE MASSACHUSETTS COLLECTION
1170
A VERY RARE GROUP OF FOURTEEN GILT-BRONZE Belt ornaments were a highly important part of attire in ancient China as
GLASS-INSET BELT ORNAMENTS it revealed the person’s rank and status. Under Tang dynasty sumptuary
TANG-LIAO DYNASTY (AD 618-1125) laws and dress regulations, the number of belt plaques related directly to
the rank of the wearer. In the Liao dynasty, clothing and accessories related
The group comprises twelve belt plaques decorated on one side with a
very closely stylistically to those in the Tang dynasty because Tang dynasty
phoenix and on the other side in openwork with a scrolling foral pattern
sumptuary laws and dress regulations were adopted, and the tradition of
revealing the glass interior. One end-piece has a vertical hole, and the
high-ranking fgures wearing elaborate belt ornaments continued. A similar
other end-piece is decorated with a scaly dragon and set on the
gilt-silver belt set decorated with foral and phoenix designs is illustrated by
reverse with a glass attachment loop.
J. White and E. Bunker in Adornment for Eternity: Status and Rank in Chinese
The twelve plaques 1√ in. (4.8 cm.) wide, each Ornament, Denver, 1994, p. 166, no. 78. White and Bunker state that this belt
(14) set might have belonged to a woman because it is decorated with phoenix,
$10,000-15,000 an image associate with the empress. Compare, also, a set of gilt-silver belt
ornaments dated to the Liao dynasty, but decorated with lions, illustrated by
E. C. Bunker, J. M. White and J. F. So in Adornment for the Body and Soul:
PROVENANCE
Ancient Chinese Ornaments from the Mengdiexuan Collection, 1999, p. 231,
Acquired in Pennsylvania, 16 June 1988.
no. 99.
唐/遼 銅鎏金嵌玻璃帶飾一組十四件

(reverse of one)

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