Ritual grain server (yu) with masks (taotie), dragons, and cicadas.

Object Details

• Description

  Ceremonial vessel, type gui. Fairly even gray-green patina inside and out; malachite and azurite incrustation on the bottom. Cast inscription of two characters.

• Previous custodian or owner

  C.T. Loo & Company (1914-1948)

• Provenance

  In 1941

  C. T. Loo & Company, New York from April 1941 [1]

  From 1941

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from C. T. Loo & Company on June 18, 1941 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] See C. T. Loo's stockcard no. 87101: "Bronze vessel. Kuei. decorated around foot and neck with bands of running dragons separated by flanges. and a register of triangles with cicadas in relief under the rim on the body broad t'ao t'ieh masks. All motives [?] with spirals. deeply carved spiral background. Grey green patina. Inscribed. Shang," C. T. Loo & Frank Caro Archive, Musée Guimet, Paris, copy in object file. The object was brought by Loo to the Freer Gallery for examination on April 29, 1941.

  [2] See C. T. Loo's invoice, dated June 18, 1941, copy in object file.

• Origin

  Anyang, probably Henan province, China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• On View

  Sackler Gallery 24b: Anyang: China's Ancient City of Kings

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 1000s

• Name

  C.T. Loo & Company

• Place

  China, Henan province, Anyang

• Topic

  Art, Chinese Art, Grain, Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty (ca. 1300 - 1050 BCE), Masks, Dragon

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)

• On View

  Yes