Page 82 - Deydier VOL.2 Meiyintang Collection of Chinese Bronses

163. Ritual bronze wine vessel jue
Shang dynasty, Erligang period, circa 16 - 14 centuries bc.
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商代二里岡時期青銅爵
Height: 15.5 cm

A bronze tripod cup used for heating slightly fermented Provenance:
beverages. The cup’s oval body consists of three parts: ▪ Benhaïm Collection, Paris, France.
a wider rounded lower section, a slightly narrower mid- ▪ Galerie Christian Deydier, Paris, France.
section and an upper section that turns outwards as it rises
towards the vessel’s upper rim. The vessel’s mid-section Similar examples:
is decorated with a single primitive taotie mask with a ▪ A similar tripod vessel from the Royal Ontario
pair of large, rounded, rectangular eyes flanked by scroll- Museum, Toronto, is illustrated in Bagley R., Shang
like designs that extend round the back to end near the Ritual Bronzes in the Arthur M. Sackler Collections,
vessel’s semi-circular handle. Two stem-like tenons rise Harvard University Press, Cambridge 1987, p. 78,
from the sides of the vessel’s long spout where it begins fig. 46.
to emerge from the body of the vessel. The vessel’s body ▪ A few similar jue are published in Henan Chutu Shang
is supported on three outwardly extending triangular legs Zhou Qingtongqi, Vol. 1, Beijing 1981, p. 24 no. 13,
which taper off at their bottoms to end in pointed, almost p. 42 no. 37 (but with two strips of decoration) and
sword-blade-like tips. p. 58 no. 62.

The vessel has a dark green patina.

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